Sample records for alkaline coal ash

Highlights: ► Incinerator fly ash (IFA) is added to an alkali activated coal fly ash (CFA) matrix. ► Means of stabilizing the incinerator ash for use in construction applications. ► Concrete made from IFA, CFA and IFA-CFA mixes was chemically characterized. ► Environmentally friendly solution to IFA disposal by reducing its toxicity levels. - Abstract: Municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration is a common and effective practice to reduce the volume of solid waste in urban areas. However, the byproduct of this process is a fly ash (IFA), which contains large quantities of toxic contaminants. The purpose of this research study was to analyze the chemical, physical and mechanical behaviors resulting from the gradual introduction of IFA to an alkaline activated coal fly ash (CFA) matrix, as a mean of stabilizing the incinerator ash for use in industrial construction applications, where human exposure potential is limited. IFA and CFA were analyzed via X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Inductive coupled plasma (ICP) to obtain a full chemical analysis of the samples, its crystallographic characteristics and a detailed count of the eight heavy metals contemplated in US Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR). The particle size distribution of IFA and CFA was also recorded. EPA’s Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) was followed to monitor the leachability of the contaminants before and after the activation. Also images obtained via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), before and after the activation, are presented. Concrete made from IFA, CFA and IFA-CFA mixes was subjected to a full mechanical characterization; tests include compressive strength, flexural strength, elastic modulus, Poisson’s ratio and setting time. The leachable heavy metal contents (except for Se) were below the maximum allowable limits and in many cases even below the reporting limit. The leachable Chromium was reduced from 0.153 down to 0.0045 mg

Municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration is a common and effective practice to reduce the volume of solid waste in urban areas. However, the byproduct of this process is a fly ash (IFA), which contains large quantities of toxic contaminants. The purpose of this research study was to analyze the chemical, physical and mechanical behaviors resulting from the gradual introduction of IFA to an alkaline activated coal fly ash (CFA) matrix, as a mean of stabilizing the incinerator ash for use in industrial construction applications, where human exposure potential is limited. IFA and CFA were analyzed via X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Inductive coupled plasma (ICP) to obtain a full chemical analysis of the samples, its crystallographic characteristics and a detailed count of the eight heavy metals contemplated in US Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR). The particle size distribution of IFA and CFA was also recorded. EPA's Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) was followed to monitor the leachability of the contaminants before and after the activation. Also images obtained via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), before and after the activation, are presented. Concrete made from IFA, CFA and IFA-CFA mixes was subjected to a full mechanical characterization; tests include compressive strength, flexural strength, elastic modulus, Poisson's ratio and setting time. The leachable heavy metal contents (except for Se) were below the maximum allowable limits and in many cases even below the reporting limit. The leachable Chromium was reduced from 0.153 down to 0.0045 mg/L, Arsenic from 0.256 down to 0.132 mg/L, Selenium from 1.05 down to 0.29 mg/L, Silver from 0.011 down to .001 mg/L, Barium from 2.06 down to 0.314 mg/L and Mercury from 0.007 down to 0.001 mg/L. Although the leachable Cd exhibited an increase from 0.49 up to 0.805 mg/L and Pd from 0.002 up to 0.029 mg/L, these were well below the maximum limits of 1.00 and 5

The injection of alkalinecoal combustion waste products into abandoned underground coal mines for acid mine drainage (AMD) abatement has obvious conceptual appeal. This paper summarizes the findings of the baseline hydrogeologic and water quality evaluations at two sites--one in West Virginia and one in Maryland--where field demonstrations of the technique are being pursued in cooperative efforts among State and Federal agencies and/or private companies. The West Virginia site produces severe AMD from three to seven AMD sources that are spaced over about a 1.2 km stretch of the down-dip side of the mine workings. By completely filling the most problematic portion of the mine workings with coal combustion ashes, the State expects that the costs and problems associated with AMD treatment will be greatly reduced. At the Maryland site, it is expected that the AMD from a relatively small target mine will be eliminated completely by filling the entire mine void with a grout composed of a mixture of fly ash, fluidized-bed combustion ash, and flue gas desulfurization sludge. This project will also demonstrate the potential cost-effectiveness of the technique at other sites, both for the purpose of AMD remediation and control of land subsidence

The geochemical behavior of As in porewaters of an alkalinecoalash disposal site was investigated using multilevel samplers. The disposal site was in operation from 1983 until 1994 and was covered with 0.3-0.5 m thick soils in 2001 when this study was initiated. Sequential extraction analyses and batch leaching experiments were also performed using the coalash samples collected from the disposal site. The results suggest the important roles of siderite (FeCO{sub 3}) precipitation/dissolution and soil cover, which have been ignored previously. Arsenic levels in the porewater were very low (average of 10 {mu} g L{sup -1}) when the site was covered with soil due to coprecipitation with siderite. The soil cover enabled the creation of anoxic conditions, which raised the Fe concentration by the reductive dissolution of Fe-(hydr)oxides. Because of the high alkalinity generated from the alkalinecoalash, even a small increase in the Fe concentration (0.66 mg L{sup -1} on average) could cause siderite precipitation. When the soil cover was removed. however, an oxidizing condition was created and triggered the precipitation of dissolved Fe as (hydr)oxides. As a result, the dissolution of previously precipitated As-rich siderite caused higher As concentration in the porewater (average of 345 {mu} g L{sup -1}).

This paper describes experimental research and a fundamental study of alkaline hydrothermal treatment of high-sulfur, high-ashcoal from Banten, Java-Indonesia. Experiments were carried out on a laboratory-scale 0.5 L batch reactor. The alkaline hydrothermal treatment gave upgraded clean coal with low sulfur content (about 0.3 wt.%) and low ash content (about 2.1 wt.%). A zero carbon dioxide and pure hydrogen gas were produced at 330 C by introducing an alkali (sodium hydroxide, NaOH) to the hydrothermal treatment of raw coal. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) techniques were used to test for the removal or reduction of major inorganic elements in the coal, and changes in carbon-functional groups and their properties were determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Carbon-13 of nuclear magnetic resonance ({sup 13}C NMR) tests on the product of the hydrothermal upgrading and demineralization process. (author)

The disposal of coal combustion residues (CCR) has led to a significant consumption of land in the West Balkan region. In Tuzla (Bosnia and Herzegovina) we studied previously soil-covered (farmed) and barren CCR landfills including management practises, field ageing of CCR and the transfer of trace elements into crops, wild plants and wastewaters. Soil tillage resulted in mixing of cover soil with CCR. Medicago sativa showed very low Cu:Mo ratios (1.25) which may cause hypocuprosis in ruminants. Total loads of inorganic pollutants in the CCR transport water, but not pH (∼12), were below regulatory limits of most EU countries. Arsenic concentrations in CCR transport water were -1 whereas reductive conditions in an abandoned landfill significantly enhanced concentrations in leachates (44 μg l-1). The opposite pattern was found for Cr likely due to large initial leaching of CrVI. Public use of landfills, including farming, should be based on a prior risk assessment due to the heterogeneity of CCR. - Uncontrolled farming and tillage of previously soil-covered coalash landfills resulted in exposure of ash on the surface

Fourteen different alkalinecoal fly ashes (CFAs) were used for the experiment, in which each sample was mixed with water to be 28.6% of water content (wt/wt) and aged for 1-4 weeks at 10-30 °C. This simple treatment is advantageous for decreases in water-soluble B, F, Cr, and As. Compared to non-aged CFAs, their water-soluble fractions remained 0.56-88%, 21-85%, 0.37-93% and 2.6-88%, respectively, after aging for a week at 20 °C, although the amounts of Cr and As released from some CFA samples increased. Considering the significant decrease in elution of sulfate, Ca and Al after aging, the immobilization, namely prevention of toxic element elution, could be related to formation of secondary minerals such as portlandite, gypsum and ettringite. Immobilization of B and Cr tends to proceed preferentially under colder conditions. Aging at higher temperatures enhances the leachability of Cr in some CFA samples. Contrary to the behavior of B and Cr, water-soluble F effectively decreases under warmer conditions. PMID:25004853

The disposal of coal combustion residues (CCR) has led to a significant consumption of land in the West Balkan region. In Tuzla (Bosnia and Herzegovina) we studied previously soil-covered (farmed) and barren CCR landfills including management practises, field ageing of CCR and the transfer of trace elements into crops, wild plants and wastewaters. Soil tillage resulted in mixing of cover soil with CCR. Medicago sativa showed very low Cu:Mo ratios (1.25) which may cause hypocuprosis in ruminants. Total loads of inorganic pollutants in the CCR transport water, but not pH (similar to 12), were below regulatory limits of most EU countries. Arsenic concentrations in CCR transport water were < 2 {mu} g l{sup -1} whereas reductive conditions in an abandoned landfill significantly enhanced concentrations in leachates (44 {mu} g l{sup -1}). The opposite pattern was found for Cr likely due to large initial leaching of CrVI. Public use of landfills, including farming, should be based on a prior risk assessment due to the heterogeneity of CCR.

Coal based thermal power stations have been the major source of power generation in our country in the past and would continue for decades to come. In India, thermal generation which contributes about 72% of the overall power generation of 2,45,000 MU (1989-90) is the main source of power and mainly based on coal firing. Total ash generation in India presently is to the tune of 38 million tonnes per annum. India is fourth in the world as far as coalash generation is concerned. USSR is first, (100 million tonnes), then come USA (45 million tonnes) and China (41 million tonnes). The basic problem of thermal power station fired with high ash content coal is the generation of huge quantity of coalash which would pose serious environmental and other related problems. The present paper analyses the extensive scope of utilisation of coalash and enlightens the strategies to be adopted to overcome the related problems for proper utilisation of coalash. (author). 9 tabs

The adsorption of the cationic dye Crystal Violet (CV) over zeolites from coal fly ash (ZFA) and bottom ash (ZBA) was evaluated. The coal fly ash (CFA) and the coal bottom ash (CBA) used in the synthesis of the zeolites by alkaline hydrothermal treatment were collected in Jorge Lacerda coal-fired power plant located at Capivari de Baixo County, in Santa Catarina State, Brazil. The zeolitic materials were characterized predominantly as hydroxy-sodalite and X. The dye adsorption equilibrium was...

The leachability of fifty different pulverized coalashes from utilities in the Netherlands, Federal Republic of Germany and Belgium has been studied. Five different ashes were analyzed according to the complete standard leaching test and the results were published earlier. The examination of a wide variety of ashes under a wide range of pH and Liquid to Solid ratio (LS) conditions creates the possibility of identifying systematic trends in fly ash leaching behaviour and to identify the mechanisms controlling release. 16 figs., 2 tabs., 3 app., 25 refs

Aiming at the development of a phosphorus removal technology for waste water, phosphate (PO43-) retention behavior of bituminous and lignitous coalashes was investigated using a batch reactor. Ash samples, including fresh and weathered fly and bottom ashes, were studied for their sorption isotherms and reversibility. Fly ashes had a much higher phosphate retention capacity (4000-30,000 mg P/kg) than bottom ashes (15-600 mg P/kg). Lignitous coalashes were more capable of retaining phosphate than bituminous coalashes. The retention process was largely irreversible, and the irreversibility increased with the increase in the retention capacity. Weathering enlarged the retention capacity of the bituminous bottom ash, but substantially lowered that of the fly ash, likely due to the difference in the weather-induced changes between the fly and bottom ashes. Sorption isotherms of fly ashes were found to be adequately represented by the Langmuir model while those of bottom ashes fitted better to the Freundlich model. Concentrations of Ca2+ and PO43- in the aqueous phase were measured at the end of sorption and desorption experiments, and were compared with solubilities of three calcium phosphate minerals. The aqueous solutions were saturated or super-saturated with respect to tricalcium phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2) and hydroxyapatite (Ca5(PO4)3OH), and slightly under-saturated with respect to amorphous calcium phosphate. It is concluded that precipitation of calcium phosphate is the predominant mechanism for phosphate retention by coalash under the conditions studied. There is a strong and positive correlation between alkalinity and phosphate sorption capacity. Consequently, acid neutralization capacity (ANC) can be used as an indicator of phosphate sorption capacity of coalashes

Aiming at the development of a phosphorus removal technology for waste water, phosphate (PO{sub 4}{sup 3-}) retention behavior of bituminous and lignitous coalashes was investigated using a batch reactor. Ash samples, including fresh and weathered fly and bottom ashes, were studied for their sorption isotherms and reversibility. Fly ashes had a much higher phosphate retention capacity (4000-30,000 mg P/kg) than bottom ashes (15-600 mg P/kg). Lignitous coalashes were more capable of retaining phosphate than bituminous coalashes. The retention process was largely irreversible, and the irreversibility increased with the increase in the retention capacity. Weathering enlarged the retention capacity of the bituminous bottom ash, but substantially lowered that of the fly ash, likely due to the difference in the weather-induced changes between the fly and bottom ashes. Sorption isotherms of fly ashes were found to be adequately represented by the Langmuir model while those of bottom ashes fitted better to the Freundlich model. Concentrations of Ca{sup 2+} and PO{sub 4}{sup 3-} in the aqueous phase were measured at the end of sorption and desorption experiments, and were compared with solubilities of three calcium phosphate minerals. The aqueous solutions were saturated or super-saturated with respect to tricalcium phosphate (Ca{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}) and hydroxyapatite (Ca{sub 5}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}OH), and slightly under-saturated with respect to amorphous calcium phosphate. It is concluded that precipitation of calcium phosphate is the predominant mechanism for phosphate retention by coalash under the conditions studied. There is a strong and positive correlation between alkalinity and phosphate sorption capacity. Consequently, acid neutralization capacity (ANC) can be used as an indicator of phosphate sorption capacity of coalashes.

This experimental project evaluated the use of coalash to construct artificial reefs. An artificial reef consisting of approximately 33 tons of cement-stabilized coalash blocks was constructed in approximately 20 feet of water in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 9.3 miles west of Cedar Key, Florida. The project objectives were: (1) demonstrate that a durable coalash/cement block can be manufactured by commercial block-making machines for use in artificial reefs, and (2) evaluate the possibility that a physically stable and environmentally acceptable coalash/cement block reef can be constructed as a means of expanding recreational and commercial fisheries. The reef was constructed in February 1988 and biological surveys were made at monthly intervals from May 1988 to April 1989. The project provided information regarding: Development of an optimum design mix, block production and reef construction, chemical composition of block leachate, biological colonization of the reef, potential concentration of metals in the food web associated with the reef, acute bioassays (96-hour LC50). The Cedar Key reef was found to be a habitat that was associated with a relatively rich assemblage of plants and animals. The reef did not appear to be a major source of heavy metals to species at various levels of biological organization. GAI Consultants, Inc (GAI) of Monroeville, Pennsylvania was the prime consultant for the project. The biological monitoring surveys and evaluations were performed by Environmental Planning and Analysis, Inc. of Tallahassee, Florida. The chemical analyses of biological organisms and bioassay elutriates were performed by Savannah Laboratories of Tallahassee, Florida. Florida Power Corporation of St. Petersburg, Florida sponsored the project and supplied ash from their Crystal River Energy Complex

The CoalAsh Resources Research Consortium (CARRC, pronounced �cars�) is the core coal combustion by-product (CCB) research group at the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC). CARRC focuses on performing fundamental and applied scientific and engineering research emphasizing the environmentally safe, economical use of CCBs. CARRC member organizations, which include utilities and marketers, are key to developing industry-driven research in the area of CCB utilization and ensuring its successful application. CARRC continued the partnership of industry partners, university researchers, and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) addressing needs in the CCB industry through technical research and development projects. Technology transfer also continued through distribution and presentation of the results of research activities to appropriate audiences, with emphasis on reaching government agency representatives and end users of CCBs. CARRC partners have evolved technically and have jointly developed an understanding of the layers of social, regulatory, legal, and competition issues that impact the success of CCB utilization as applies to the CCB industry in general and to individual companies. Many CARRC tasks are designed to provide information on CCB performance including environmental performance, engineering performance, favorable economics, and improved life cycle of products and projects. CARRC activities from 1993�1998 included a variety of research tasks, with primary work performed in laboratory tasks developed to answer specific questions or evaluate important fundamental properties of CCBs. The tasks summarized in this report are 1) The Demonstration of CCB Use in Small Construction Projects, 2) Application of CCSEM (computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy) for Coal Combustion By-Product Characterization, 3) Development of a Procedure to Determine Heat of Hydration for Coal Combustion By-Products, 4) Investigation of the Behavior of High

Full Text Available Geopolymers are inorganic polymers formed from the alkaline activation of amorphous alumino-silicate materials resulting in a three-dimensional polymeric network. As a class of materials, it is seen to have the potential of replacing ordinary Portland cement (OPC, which for more than a hundred years has been the binder of choice for structural and building applications. Geopolymers have emerged as a sustainable option vis-à-vis OPC for three reasons: (1 their technical properties are comparable if not better; (2 they can be produced from industrial wastes; and (3 within reasonable constraints, their production requires less energy and emits significantly less CO2. In the Philippines, the use of coalash, as the alumina- and silica- rich geopolymer precursor, is being considered as one of the options for sustainable management of coalash generation from coal-fired power plants. However, most geopolymer mixes (and the prevalent blended OPC use only coal fly ash. The coal bottom ash, having very few applications, remains relegated to dumpsites. Rice hull ash, from biomass-fired plants, is another silica-rich geopolymer precursor material from another significantly produced waste in the country with only minimal utilization. In this study, geopolymer samples were formed from the mixture of coalash, using both coal fly ash (CFA and coal bottom ash (CBA, and rice hull ash (RHA. The raw materials used for the geopolymerization process were characterized using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF for elemental and X-ray diffraction (XRD for mineralogical composition. The raw materials’ thermal stability and loss on ignition (LOI were determined using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA and reactivity via dissolution tests and inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP analysis. The mechanical, thermal and microstructural properties of the geopolymers formed were analyzed using compression tests, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR

ENEL ran an experiment at the Torrevaldaliga power plant, near Rome, on the use of coalash in concrete blocks for artificial habitats. Two reefs were submerged in different tanks with running sea water. The ash blocks consisted of fly ash, bottom ash, hydrated lime and water, while the concrete blocks consisted of pozzolanic cement, sand, and gravel. After two years the ash blocks had, if anything, strengthened, and showed no signs of weathering, volume change or swelling. No significant leaching was discovered either. The fauna and flora of the ash blocks was more luxuriant than that of the concrete blocks as well. 13 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs.

Highlights: • Biomass ash was utilized to promote gasification of low rank coal. • Promoting effect of biomass ash highly depended on AAEM content in the ash. • Stability of the ash could be improved by maintaining AAEM amount in the ash. • Different biomass ash could have completely different catalytic activity. - Abstract: Application of biomass ash as a catalyst to improve gasification rate is a promising way for the effective utilization of waste ash as well as for the reduction of cost. Investigation on the catalytic activity of biomass ash to the gasification of low rank coal was performed in details in the present study. Ashes from 3 kinds of biomass, i.e. brown seaweed/BS, eel grass/EG, and rice straw/RS, were separately mixed with coal sample and gasified in a fixed bed downdraft reactor using steam as the gasifying agent. BS and EG ashes enhanced the gas production rate greater than RS ash. Higher catalytic activity of BS or EG ash was mainly attributed to the higher content of alkali and alkaline earth metal (AAEM) and lower content of silica in it. Higher content of silica in the RS ash was identified to have inhibiting effect for the steam gasification of coal. Stable catalytic activity was remained when the amount of AAEM in the regenerated ash was maintained as that of the original one

Fly ash is a by-product of coal-fired electricity generation plants. The prevalent practice of disposal is as slurry of ash and water to storage or ash ponds located near power stations. This has lain to waste thousands of hectares of land all over the world. Since leaching is often the cause of off-site contamination and pathway of introduction into the human environment, a study on the genotoxic effects of fly ash leachate is essential. Leachate prepared from the fly ash sample was analyzed for metal content, and tested for mutagenicity and genotoxicity. Analyses of metals show predominance of the metals - sodium, silicon, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc, and sulphate. The Ames Salmonella mutagenicity assay, a short-term bacterial reverse mutation assay, was conducted on two-tester strains of Salmonella typhimurium strains TA97a and TA102. For genotoxicity, the alkaline version of comet assay on fly ash leachate was carried in vitro on human blood cells and in vivo on Nicotiana plants. The leachate was directly mutagenic and induced significantconcentration-dependent increases in DNA damage in whole blood cells, lymphocytes, and in Nicotiana plants. The comet parameters show increases in tail DNA percentage (%), tail length (mu m), and olive tail moment (arbitrary units). Our results indicate that leachate from fly ash dumpsites has the genotoxic potential and may lead to adverse effects on vegetation and on the health of exposed human populations.

Many Appalachian coal refuse materials contain significant amounts of pyritic-S and are likely to produce acid mine drainage (AMD). A column technique was designed and implemented to evaluate the effects of various AMD mitigation treatments including fly ash, topsoil, lime, and rock-P. Two types of fly ash were tested, one at four rates of application, the other at two rates. Conventional lime plus topsoil, lime without topsoil, topsoil only, topsoil with fly ash, rock-P, rock-P plus topsoil, and rock-P plus fly ash were also evaluated and compared with pure refuse controls. The drainage from the unamended columns rapidly dropped to pH 2 with very high levels of Fe and Mn. Alkaline fly ash dramatically reduced drainage Fe concentrations as well as Mn when compared with untreated refuse. The rock-P treatment also improved drainage but eventually lost its mitigation capability. Leachate B concentrations were initially high for some of the ash columns, but decreased over time, while the unamended refuse B levels increased with time. Combined treatments of phosphate/ash, ash/topsoil, and pure refuse with topsoil were intermediate between the alkalineash/lime treatments and unamended refuse in drainage quality. With further analysis, fly ash may prove to be a viable alternative to conventional topsoiling/lime treatments to control AMD if adequate alkalinity is present in the ash/refuse mixture. If fly ashalkalinity is inadequate to balance potential acidity, accelerated leaching of ash bound metals may occur. Therefore, the uncontrolled disposal of fly ash within coal refuse disposal facilities should be discouraged unless acid/base balance concerns are met

This invention relates to gasification of high ash bituminous coals that have high ash fusion temperatures. The ash content can be in 15 to 45 weight percent range and ash fusion temperatures can be in 1150.degree. C. to 1500.degree. C. range as well as in excess of 1500.degree. C. In a preferred embodiment, such coals are dealt with a two stage gasification process--a relatively low temperature primary gasification step in a circulating fluidized bed transport gasifier followed by a high temperature partial oxidation step of residual char carbon and small quantities of tar. The system to process such coals further includes an internally circulating fluidized bed to effectively cool the high temperature syngas with the aid of an inert media and without the syngas contacting the heat transfer surfaces. A cyclone downstream of the syngas cooler, operating at relatively low temperatures, effectively reduces loading to a dust filtration unit. Nearly dust- and tar-free syngas for chemicals production or power generation and with over 90%, and preferably over about 98%, overall carbon conversion can be achieved with the preferred process, apparatus and methods outlined in this invention.

Full Text Available Contemporarily, there are 16 coal-burning thermal power plants currently operating in Turkey. This number is expected to rise to 46 in the future. Annually, about 15 million tons of fly ash are removed from the existing thermal power plants in Turkey, but a small proportion of it, 2%, is recyclable. Turkey’s plants are fired by lignite, producing Class C fly ash containing a high percentage of lime. Sulfate and alkali levels are also higher in Class C fly ashes. Therefore, fly ash is, commonly, unsuitable as an additive in cement or concrete in Turkey. In this study, highly alkaline fly ash obtained from the Yeniköy thermal power plants is combined with soil samples in different proportions (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25% and changes in the geomechanical properties of Ankara clay were investigated. The effect of curing time on the physicomechanical properties of the fly ash mixed soil samples was also analyzed. The soil classification of Ankara clay changed from CH to MH due to fly ash additives. Free swelling index values showed a decrease of 92.6%. Direct shear tests on the cohesion value of Ankara clay have shown increases by multiples of 15.85 and 3.01 in internal friction angle values. The California bearing ratio has seen a more drastic increase in value (68.7 times for 25% fly ash mix.

Beneficial Ash Management (BAM, Clearfield, Pa.) has won an environmental award for its use of ash and other waste to fight acid mine drainage. The company`s workers take various waste materials, mainly fly ash from coal-burning plants, to make a cement-like material or grouting, says Ernest Roselli, BAM president. The grouting covers the soil, which helps prevent water from contacting materials. This, in turn, helps control chemical reactions, reducing or eliminating formation of acid mine drainage. The company is restoring the 1,400-acre Bark Camp coal mine site near Penfield in Clearfield County, Pa. Under a no-cost contract with the state of Pennsylvania, BAM is using boiler slag, causticizing byproducts (lime) and nonreclaimable clarifier sludge from International Paper Co. (Erie, Pa.). The mine reclamation techniques developed and monitored at the site include using man-made wetlands to treat acid mine drainage and testing anhydrous ammonia as a similar treatment agent. BAM researches and tests fly ash mixed with lime-based activators as fill material for land reclamation, and develops and uses artificial soil material from paper mill and tannery biosolids.

Alkaline and acidic Illinois Basin coal fly ash samples were each mixed with deionized water and equilibrated for about 140 days to simulate ash ponding environments. Common to both equilibrated solutions, anhydrite solubility dominated Ca2+ activities, and Al3+ activities were in equilibrium with both matrix mullite and insoluble aluminum hydroxide phases. Aqueous silica activities were controlled by both mullite and matrix silicates. The pH of the extract of the acidic fly ash was 4.1 after 24 h but increased to a pH value of 6.4 as the H2SO4, assumed to be adsorbed to the particle surfaces, was exhausted by the dissolution of matrix iron oxides and aluminosilicates. The activities of aqueous Al3+ and iron, initially at high levels during the early stages of equilibration, decreased to below analytical detection limits as the result of the formation of insoluble Fe and Al hydroxide phases. The pH of the extract of the alkaline fly ash remained above a pH value of 10 during the entire equilibration interval as a result of the hydrolysis of matrix oxides. As with the acidic system, Al3+ activities were controlled by amorphous aluminum hydroxide phases that began to form after about 7 days of equilibration. The proposed mechanisms and their interrelations are discussed in addition to the solubility diagrams used to deduce these relationships. ?? 1984 American Chemical Society.

The pozzolanic reactivity was determined by the hydration kinetics of pozzolanic reaction based on the fact that the hydration products of active SiO_2 and Al_2O_3 with lime were soluble in dilute hydrochloric acid.The results show that the pozzolanic reaction of active SiO_2 and Al2O3 of coalashes follows apparent first-order kinetics.The reaction rate constant of FBC ashes is greater than that of PC ashes,while the activation energy of the former is lower than that of the latter.It is confirmed that the pozzolanic activity of fluidized bed combustion(FBC)ashes is significantly higher than that of PC ashes,and the reaction barrier of the former is lower than that of the latter,because the microstructures of FBC ashes,such as mineralogical composition,morphology and polymerization degree of [SiO_4]and[AlO_6]are more favorable to the pozzolanic activity development than those of PC ashes.

Coal serves as the primary energy source in most parts of the world. It is a fact that coal combustion yields enormous quantities of fly ash some of which are either hydraulically placed or dry dumped. The current study attempts to provide a comprehensive characterisation of a disused alkaline fine coalash dam (FCAD) towards assessing environmental impact, rehabilitation and utilisation potential. Fine coalash refers to a combination of approximately 83% power station fly ash and 17% gasification and bottom ash fines (particles {lt}250 {mu}m) at SASOL Synfuels. The hydration products found in Weathered Fine CoalAsh (WFCA) using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) are analcime, calcite, C-S-H gel, ettringite, hydrated gehlenite (Strtlingite), magnetite, periclase, pyrrhotite and sillimanite. High resolution Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) results provide additional proof that hydration products are present in WFCA. No indication of appreciable leaching was given by X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) results except calcium and silicon. Thus evidence exists that pollutants from saline brines are immobilised in WFCA and an insight of reaction kinetics was obtained. High content of amorphous phase and lack of alteration in some geotechnical properties suggest that WFCA can be reutilised with lime addition to increase alkalinity and activate pozzolanic reactions. 48 refs., 18 figs., 4 tabs.

An experimental method combined with a numerical model allows a comparison of two methods for the disposal of ash that contains arsenic, from the Rio Escondido coal-fired power plant. The calculation yields significant differences in aquifer migration times for the site. The wet disposal method gave 10 years time and the dry method gave 22 years. Experiments were performed on the rate of dissolution of the arsenic from ash samples; and these results indicate a first order kinetics reaction. 8 refs., 8 figs., 8 tabs

This experimental study is based on the innovative idea of using pulverized coal fly ash as a wet-end filler in papermaking. This is the first evaluation of the possible use of fly ash in the paper industry. Coal-based thermal power plants throughout the world are generating fly ash as a solid waste product. The constituents of fly ash can be used effectively in papermaking. Fly ash has a wide variation in particle size, which ranges from a few micrometers to one hundred micrometers. Fly ash acts as an inert material in acidic, neutral, and alkaline papermaking processes. Its physical properties such as bulk density (800-980 kg/m{sup 3}), porosity (45%-57%), and surface area (0.138-2.3076 m{sup 2}/g) make it suitable for use as a paper filler. Fly ash obtained from thermal power plants using pulverized coal was fractionated by a vibratory-sieve stack. The fine fraction with a particle size below 38 micrometers was used to study its effect on the important mechanical-strength and optical properties of paper. The effects of fly-ash addition on these properties were compared with those of kaolin clay. Paper opacity was found to be much higher with fly ash as a filler, whereas brightness decreased as the filler percentage increased Mechanical strength properties of the paper samples with fly ash as filler were superior to those with kaolin clay.

In terms of mineral transformation, and chemical composition of acid-soluble component as a function of reaction time, the effect of alkaline solution on zeolite-like fly ash was studied by employing fly ash and NaOH solution as starting materials. When fly ash and 1€? 0mol/L NaOH solution were processed at 100℃ for 24h with 1:10 W/S rat io in a relatively closed system, powder XRD patterns of resulting pro ducts indicated the formation of various zeolites. Zeolite P crystalli zed early at low alkaline concentration, which was replaced then by ze olites X and A. At high concentration, hydroxy sodalite was the only n ew phase. Quartz, in fly ash and NaOH solution system, gradually disso lved, and mullite, however, remained stable. It was concluded that, wi th Al/Si and Na/Si finally reaching equilibrium in molar ratio, compos ition of starting mixtures affects the crystallization of zeolite from fly ash.

Trace and major elements in coalash particles from dump of 'Nikola Tesla A' power plant in Obrenovac near Belgrade (Serbia) can cause pollution, due to leaching by atmospheric and surface waters. In order to assess this leaching potential, dump ash samples were subjected to extraction with solutions of decreasing pH values (8.50, 7.00, 5.50, and 4.00), imitating the reactions of the alkalineash particles with the possible alkaline, neutral, and acidic (e.g., acid rain) waters. The most recently deposited ash represents the greatest environmental threat, while 'aged' ash, because of permanent leaching on the dump, was shown to have already lost this pollution potential. On the basis of the determined leachability, it was possible to perform an estimation of the acidity of the regional rainfalls in the last decades.

Coal is technologically important materials being used for power generation and its cinder (fly ash) is used in manufacturing of bricks, sheets, cement, land filling etc. 222Rn (radon) and its daughters are the most important radioactive and potentially hazardous elements, which are released in the environment from the naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) present in coal, fly ash and cement. Thus it is very important to carry out radioactivity measurements in coal, fly ash and cement from the health and hygiene point of view. Samples of coal and fly ash from different thermal power stations in northern India and various fly ash using establishments and commercially available cement samples (O.P.C. and P.P.C.) were collected and analyzed for radon concentration and exhalation rates. For the measurements, alpha sensitive LR-115 type II plastic track detectors were used. The radon concentration varied from 147 Bq/m3 to 443 Bq/m3, the radium concentration varied from 1.5 to 4.5 Bq/kg and radon exhalation rate varied from 11.8 mBq.kg-1.h-1 to 35.7 mBq.kg-1.h-1 for mass exhalation rate and from 104.5 mBq.m-2.h-1 to 314.8 mBq.m-2.h-1 for surface exhalation rate in coal samples. The radon concentration varied from 214 Bq/m3 to 590 Bq/m3, the radium concentration varied from 1.0 to 2.7 Bq/kg and radon exhalation rate varied from 7.8 mBq.kg-1.h-1 to 21.6 mBq.kg-1.h-1 for mass exhalation rate and from 138 mBq m-2h-1 to 380.6 mBq.m-2.h-1 for surface exhalation rate in fly ash samples. The radon concentration varied from 157.62 Bq/m3 to 1810.48 Bq/m3, the radium concentration varied from 0.76 Bq/kg to 8.73 Bq/kg and radon exhalation rate varied from 6.07 mBq.kg-1.hr-1 to 69.81 mBq.kg-1.hr-1 for mass exhalation rate and from 107.10 mBq.m-2.hr-1 to 1230.21 mBq.m-2.hr-1 for surface exhalation rate in different cement samples. The values were found higher in P.P.C. samples than in O.P.C. samples. (authors)

By 2009, coalashes produced from coal-based power plants in Korea have been reused as cement supplement materials; however, the rest is mostly disposed in landfills inside the plant properties. Continuous production of coalashes and limited landfill sites require more recycles of coalashes as base materials, specifically in constructions of roads and of huge industrial complex. Previous researches showed that coalashes could contain various metals such as arsenic(As), chromium(Cr), lead(Pb), nickel(Ni), selenium(Se), etc. In this study, we collected four types of bottom ashes and two of fly ashes from four coal-based power plants. These ash samples were tested with distilled water through the column leaching process in oxidized conditions. The column test results were compared with those of total digestion, sequential extraction processes and TCLP. Concentrations of metals in outflows from columns are generally greater in fly ashes than in bottom ashes, specifically for As, Se, B, Sr and SO4. Only one fly ash (J2-F) shows high concentrations of arsenic and selenium in leachate. Sequential extraction results indicate that these metals are in readily soluble forms, such as adsorbed, carbonated, and reducible forms. Results of TCLP analysis indicate no potential contaminants leached from the ashes. In conclusion, recycling of coal combustion ashes could be encouraged with proper tests such as sequential and leaching experiments.

Co-firing straw with coal in pulverized fuel boilers can cause problems related to fly ash utilization, deposit formation, corrosion and SCR catalyst deactivation due to the high contents of Cl and K in the ash. To investigate the interaction between coal and straw ash and the effect of coal...... quality on fly ash and deposit properties, straw was co-fired with three kinds of coal in an entrained flow reactor. The compositions of the produced ashes were compared to the available literature data to find suitable scaling parameters that can be used to predict the composition of ash from straw and...... coal co-firing. Reasonable agreement in fly ash compositions regarding total K and fraction of water soluble K was obtained between co-firing in an entrained flow reactor and full-scale plants. Capture of potassium and subsequent release of HCl can be achieved by sulphation with SO2 and more...

A new process of enriching germanium from coalash was developed. The process involves in mixing the coalash and ammonium chloride and then roasting the mixture to produce germanium chloride that is then absorbed by dilute hydrochloric acid and hydrolyzed to germanium oxide. The germanium recovery reached to 80.2% at the optimum condition: mass ratio of NH4Cl/coalash is 0.15, roasting temperature 400℃ and roasting time 90 min.

The separate land disposal of coal refuse and fly ash presents difficulties throughout the Appalachian region, both in terms of disposal costs per acre and in terms of its potential environmental impacts on soil, ground water, revegetation, and slope stability. The purpose of this study was to determine how fly ash addition to coal refuse would impact on certain geotechnical properties of the refuse disposal piles, and whether the refuse-fly ash blends would be suitable as co-d...

Coal gasification yields synthesis gas, an important intermediate in chemical manufacturing. It is also vital to the production of liquid fuels through the Fischer-Tropsch process and electricity in Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle power generation. Minerals naturally present in coal become molten in entrained-flow slagging gasifiers. Molten coalash slag penetrates and dissolves refractory bricks, leading to costly plant shutdowns. The extent of coalash slag penetration and refractory brick dissolution depends on the slag viscosity, the gasification temperature, and the composition of slag and bricks. Here, we measured the viscosity of several synthetic coalash slags with a high-temperature rotary viscometer and their ash fusion temperatures through optical image analysis. We made all measurements in a carbon monoxide-carbon dioxide reducing atmosphere that approximates coal gasification conditions. Empirical correlation models based on ash fusion temperatures were used to calculate critical viscosity temperatures based on the coalash compositions. These values were then compared with those obtained from thermodynamic phase-transition models. Finally, an understanding of slag viscosity as a function of ash composition is important to reducing refractory wear in slagging coal gasifiers, which would help to reduce the cost and environmental impact of coal for chemical and electricity production.

The aim of this study was to determine element mobilization and accumulation in mill tailings under alkaline conditions. The tailings were covered with 50 cm of fly ash, and above a sludge layer. The tailings were geochemically and mineralogically investigated. Sulfides, such as pyrrhotite, sphalerite and galena along with gangue minerals such as dolomite, calcite, micas, chlorite, epidote, Mn-pyroxene and rhodonite were identified in the unoxidized tailings. The dissolution of the fly ash layer resulted in a high pH (close to 12) in the underlying tailings. This, together with the presence of organic matter, increased the weathering of the tailings and mobilization of elements in the uppermost 47 cm of the tailings. All primary minerals were depleted, except quartz and feldspar which were covered by blurry secondary carbonates. Sulfide-associated elements such as Cd, Fe, Pb, S and Zn and silicate-associated elements such as Fe, Mg and Mn were released from the depletion zone and accumulated deeper down in the tailings where the pH decreased to circum-neutral. Sequential extraction suggests that Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, S and Zn were retained deeper down in the tailings and were mainly associated with the sulfide phase. Calcium, Cr, K and Ni released from the ash layer were accumulated in the uppermost depletion zone of the tailings. PMID:24681363

The aim of this work was apply {sup 57}Fe Transmission Mössbauer Spectroscopy at room temperature in order to study the occurrence of iron-containing mineral phases in: 1) feed coal; 2) coalash, obtained in different stages of the ASTM D3174 standard method; and 3) fly ash, produced when coal is burned in the TERMOPAIPA IV thermal power plant localized in Boyacá, Colombia. According to obtained results, we can conclude the occurrence of pyrite and jarosite in the feed coal; Fe{sup 2+} and Fe{sup 3+} crystalline paramagnetic phases, superparamagnetic hematite and hematite in coalash; Fe{sup 2+} and Fe{sup 3+} noncrystalline and crystalline phases, magnetite and hematite in fly ash. Precisely, for a basic understanding, this work discusses some the possible transformations that take place during coal combustion.

The aim of this work was apply 57Fe Transmission Mössbauer Spectroscopy at room temperature in order to study the occurrence of iron-containing mineral phases in: 1) feed coal; 2) coalash, obtained in different stages of the ASTM D3174 standard method; and 3) fly ash, produced when coal is burned in the TERMOPAIPA IV thermal power plant localized in Boyacá, Colombia. According to obtained results, we can conclude the occurrence of pyrite and jarosite in the feed coal; Fe2+ and Fe3+ crystalline paramagnetic phases, superparamagnetic hematite and hematite in coalash; Fe2+ and Fe3+ noncrystalline and crystalline phases, magnetite and hematite in fly ash. Precisely, for a basic understanding, this work discusses some the possible transformations that take place during coal combustion

The coal sample is first ashed with high temperature ashing or with RF plasma low temperature ashing. The coalash or fly ash can be analyzed for major ash elements by fusing with lithium tetraborate in an automatic fusion device, the Claisse Fluxer. The ash samples are also dissolved in a Parr bomb in a mixture of aqua regia and HF. Subsequently, the solutions are analyzed for eight major (Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Si, and Ti) and 20 trace elements (As, B, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, Pb, Sb, Se, Sr, U, V, and Zn) by inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy. Mercury in coal and fly ash is determined on a separate aliquot by the cold vapor atomic absorption technique. Fluorine and chlorine in the samples are determined by fusing with Na2CO3 and Eschka mixture, respectively, and then measuring the two ions in solution with specific ion electrodes. Oxygen in the samples can be determined rapidly and nondestructively by 14-MeV neutron activation analysis. These methods have been tested by analyzing several NBS coal and fly ash standards with good accuracy and reproducibility. 10 tables

In this study, the application of some zeolitised fly ashes and synthetic zeolites to the decontamination of the leachate produced in a municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment plant and to the liquid waste from a pig farm was analyzed. Thus, the reduction of organic matter (BOD and COD), ammonium and total nitrogen, phosphorus and metals contents after a zeolite treatment was evaluated. Several synthetic zeolites were tested: some commercial zeolites and other synthetic zeolites and zeolitised ashes obtained after a coal fly ashalkaline hydrothermal process. Two forms of contact between the zeolitic material and the liquid waste were tested: in a stirred tank and in a column. In addition, other variables determined were the amount of zeolite and the residence time. The results showed that zeolites, especially zeolitised fly ash, clearly produced a strong reduction in the leachate nitrogen and phosphorus content. 14 refs., 1 fig., 9 tabs.

In April 1999, three identical superheater test sections were installed into the Niles Unit No.1 for the purpose of testing and ranking the coalash corrosion resistance of candidate superheater alloys. The Niles boiler burns high sulfur coal (3% to 3.5%) that has a moderate alkali content (0.2% sodium equivalents), thus the constituents necessary for coalash corrosion are present in the ash. The test sections were controlled to operate with an average surface metal temperature from approximately 1060 F to 1210 F which was within the temperature range over which coalash corrosion occurs. Thus, this combination of aggressive environment and high temperature was appropriate for testing the performance of candidate corrosion-resistant tube materials. Analyses of the deposit and scale confirmed that aggressive alkali sulfate constituents were present at the metal surface and active in tube metal wastage. The test sections were constructed so that the response of twelve different candidate tube and/or coating materials could be studied. The plan was to remove and evaluate one of the three test sections at time intervals of 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years. This would permit an assessment of performance of the candidate materials as a function of time. Test Section A was removed in November 2001 after about 24 months of service at the desired steam temperature set point, with about 15.5 months of exposure at full temperature. A progress report, issued in October 2002, was written to document the performance of the candidate alloys in that test section. The evaluation described the condition of each tube sample after exposure. It involved a determination of the rate of wall thickness loss for these samples. In cases where there was more than one sample of a candidate material in the test section, an assessment was made of the performance of the alloy as a function of temperature. Test Sections B and C were examined during the November 2001 outage, and it was decided that

For instrumented and automated coal dressing and briquetting processes to be operated under the optimum conditions, it is necessary to continuously measure the content of inconbustibles in coal (ash content) and to feed back the data to each process control system. To this end, the authors developed an on-line coalash monitor of a two-radiation-source transmission type using the radioactive isotopes of 241Am and 137Cs. The structure and functions of the automatic ash content analyzing system is outlined in this report. The ash content A can be calculated from the measurement P, the ratio of the mass absorption coefficients of coal for 241Am and 137Cs, regardless of the thickness of the coal layer on the basis of the linear relationship between A and M. The ash content monitoring system consists of three sections, i.e., for source-detector, measurement and data processing. The signals from the detectors are sent to the counting unit in the measurement section after being amplified. The counting data are then fed to the processing unit, where the ash content is calculated. The counting data and the calculated ash content are shown in the display unit of the computer and the indicator of the measuring apparatus, outputted by the printer and indicated in analog meters. (Nogami, K.)

Coal liquefaction by oxygen in alkaline slurries is reviewed from the chemical point of view. Available information is considered in the light of questions relating to coal liquefaction. A lack of chemical knowledge in this area is noted, especially on model compounds. 72 refs.

Full Text Available The adsorption of the cationic dye Crystal Violet (CV over zeolites from coal fly ash (ZFA and bottom ash (ZBA was evaluated. The coal fly ash (CFA and the coal bottom ash (CBA used in the synthesis of the zeolites by alkaline hydrothermal treatment were collected in Jorge Lacerda coal-fired power plant located at Capivari de Baixo County, in Santa Catarina State, Brazil. The zeolitic materials were characterized predominantly as hydroxy-sodalite and X. The dye adsorption equilibrium was reached after 10 min for ZFA and ZBA. The kinetics studies indicated that the adsorption followed the pseudo-second order kinetics and that surface adsorption and intraparticle diffusion were involved in the adsorption mechanism for both the adsorbents. The equilibrium data of ZFA was found to best fit to the Langmuir model, while ZBA was best explained by the Freundlich model. The maximum adsorption capacities were 19.6 mg g-1 for the CV/ZFA and 17.6 mg g-1 for the CV/ZBA.

The effect of the ash components on the ignition and burnout of four Chinese high ashcoals were studied by thermogravimetric analysis. To investigate the influence of the ash components, comparative experiments were carried out with original, deashed and impregnated coals. Eleven types of ash components, such as SiO{sub 2}, CaCO{sub 3}, MgO, Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, K{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, TiO{sub 2}, Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}, FeS{sub 2}, NH{sub 4}Fe(SO{sub 4}){sub 2}{center_dot}12H{sub 2}O and FeSO{sub 4},(NH{sub 4}){center_dot}6H{sub 2}O were used in the present study. It was found that most of the ash components have negative effects. The strong influence of some ash components suggests that the combustion characteristics of high ashcoal may be determined by the ash composition. 5 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.

In 1996, approximately 7.28 million metric tons (8.02 million short tons) of coal fly ash was used in the United States in cement and concrete products. The amount of fly ash in typical structural concrete applications ranges from 15 to 35% by weight, with amounts up to 70% for mass concrete in dams, walls, and girders and for roller-compacted concrete pavements and parking areas. Various concrete mixtures are produced with coal fly ash, including regular weight and lightweight concretes, high-strength concrete, low-slump paving concrete, and architectural concrete. With the principal exception of high-strength concrete, these mixtures are routinely air-entrained for added workability and for resistance to freezing and thawing. A state-of-the-art report on the use of coal fly ash in concrete has been prepared by the American Concrete Institute (ACI): Use of Fly Ash in Concrete, ACI 232.2R-96. Fly ash for use as a mineral admixture in concrete is covered in a specification published by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM): Mineral Admixture in Portland Cement Concrete, ASTM C618. Revisions to the Canadian Standard CSA A 23.5 are also discussed, together with barriers to the use of fly ash. 2 photos.

The recent coalash spill on the Dan River in North Carolina, USA has caused several negative effects on the environment and the public. In this analysis, I report a monetized value for these effects after the first 6 months following the spill. The combined cost of ecological damage, recreational impacts, effects on human health and consumptive use, and esthetic value losses totals $295,485,000. Because the environmental impact and associated economic costs of riverine coalash spills can be long-term, on the order of years or even decades, this 6-month assessment should be viewed as a short-term preview. The total cumulative damage cost from the Dan River coalash spill could go much higher. - Highlights: • Six-month post-spill damage cost exceeded $295,000,000. • Components of cost include ecological, recreational, human health, property, and aesthetic values. • Attempts by the electric utility to “clean” the river left over 95% of coalash behind. • Long-term impacts will likely drive the total damage cost much higher. - Damage costs of the Dan River coalash spill are extensive and growing. The 6-month cost of that spill is valued at $295,485,000, and the long-term total cost is likely to rise substantially

In the present study, the bactericidal and virucidal mechanisms in the alkaline disinfection of compost with calcium lime and ash were investigated. Two indicator microorganisms, Escherichia coli and MS2 coliphage, were used as surrogates for enteric pathogens. The alkaline-treated compost with calcium oxide (CaO) or ash resulted primarily in damage to the outer membrane and enzyme activities of E. coli. The alkaline treatment of compost also led to the infectivity loss of the coliphage because of the partial capsid damage and RNA exteriorization due to a raised pH, which is proportional to the amount of alkaline agents added. These results indicate that the alkaline treatment of compost using calcium oxide and ash is effective and can contribute to the safe usage of compost from a mixing type dry toilet. PMID:27562698

The accumulation of slagging and fouling ash deposits in utility boilers has been a source of aggravation for coal-fired boiler operators for over a century. Many new developments in analytical, modeling, and combustion testing methods in the past 20 years have made it possible to identify root causes of ash deposition. A concise and comprehensive guidelines document has been assembled for solving ash deposition as related to coal-fired utility boilers. While this report accurately captures the current state of knowledge in ash deposition, note that substantial research and development is under way to more completely understand and mitigate slagging and fouling. Thus, while comprehensive, this document carries the title ''interim,'' with the idea that future work will provide additional insight. Primary target audiences include utility operators and engineers who face plant inefficiencies and significant operational and maintenance costs that are associated with ash deposition problems. Pulverized and cyclone-fired coal boilers are addressed specifically, although many of the diagnostics and solutions apply to other boiler types. Logic diagrams, ash deposit types, and boiler symptoms of ash deposition are used to aid the user in identifying an ash deposition problem, diagnosing and verifying root causes, determining remedial measures to alleviate or eliminate the problem, and then monitoring the situation to verify that the problem has been solved. In addition to a step-by-step method for identifying and remediating ash deposition problems, this guideline document (Appendix A) provides descriptions of analytical techniques for diagnostic testing and gives extensive fundamental and practical literature references and addresses of organizations that can provide help in alleviating ash deposition problems

An assessment of the potential environmental and health impacts of radionuclides in the coal fuel cycle is being conducted at Mound. This paper describes studies evaluating the potential for migration of radionuclides from ash disposal sites. Studies at a power plant burning western-US coal dealt with an assessment of potential radiation doses from coalash ponds and leachate discharges of radionuclides from the ponds. Emanation of 222Rn from the ash is relatively low. The emanation of 222Rn from the ash pond (226Ra at 4.5pCi.g-1) is predicted to be about six times less than from soil (226Ra at 1pCi.g-1). Ash with 226Ra at 25pCi.g-1 would approximate emanation of 222Rn from soil. At 1000m from the centre of the ash pond area, 222Rn from the ash pond is predicted to be 1000 to 6000 times less than background (0.1 to 0.5pCi.ltr-1). Pathways exist for transport of radionuclides leached from ash into the aquifer beneath the holding ponds, but concentrations of radionuclides in water leaving the ponds are lower than concentrations in groundwater which is upgradient of the ponds. Leachability of the ash is quite low, on the order of 0.002% in one month, and flow of ash-sluicing water (3% of the volume of the ponds each day) has actually diluted normal background concentrations of radionuclides in the aquifer between the ponds and the adjacent river. (author)

The high contents of sodium and calcium in Zhundong coal induce severe slagging and ash deposition in boilers. In this study, the ash deposition mechanism was investigated based on the results obtained from a full-scale boiler (350 MW) burning Zhundong coal, and a fixed bed reactor used for ash evaporating-condensing. In the full-scale boiler, the condensing and depositing of sodium and calcium sulfates play an important role on ash depositing on convection heating surfaces. Sulfates start to significantly condense and deposit at the flue gas temperature of about 850 °C on the medium and high temperature reheater surfaces. Ash evaporating tests proved that, with the increasing in temperature from 400 °C to 1200 °C, the ash evaporating process is divided into three stages: 1) 400–800 °C, 80% of sodium, and 100% of chlorine are released; 2) 800–1000 °C, all the left sodium evaporates and sulfur starts to be released with the formation of partial aluminosilicates; 3) 1000–1200 °C, all the left sulfur is released through the decomposition of calcium sulfates and then calcium starts to evaporate, while silicon oxides disappear due to the formation of new complex silicates. Ash condensing tests further proved that, the sodium in Zhundong coal was released mainly in the forms of atom, oxide, and chloride, in which sodium chloride account for about 50%. When the evaporating temperature increased higher than 1000 °C, partial alkali and alkaline earth metals were released as gaseous sulfates, and afterward condense and deposit on the heating surfaces. At last, a temperature-dependent ash deposition mechanism in Zhundong coal combustion was proposed. - Highlights: • The ash deposition of coal with high Na/Ca content was studied in full-scale and lab-scale furnaces. • The deposition mechanism was demonstrated from ash evaporating to condensing. • Sulfate condensing at about 850 °C plays an important role in ash deposition of Zhundong coal. • A

High temperature and high alkalinity are typical testing conditions to accelerate the appraisal process of the suppressing effect of fly ashes on alkali silica reaction(ASR),but the reaction mechanism of fly ashes would be quite different under such conditions compared to the normal condition of temperature and alkalinity.To make a reasonable analysis of the suppressing effect of fly ashes,13 types of fly ashes were tested in this paper by both the accelerated mortar bar test method and the 60°C accelerated concrete prism test method.The results showed that the effect of fly ashes would be magnified under the condition of high temperature and high alkalinity.The XRD analysis showed that all the phases of fly ash could react with the hot alkaline solution except for mullite and a small amount of quartz.Fly ash could be significantly activated by the 80°C 1 mol/L NaOH solution,and form mainly C-S-H phase and P type zeolite,but its effect on inhibiting ASR was exaggerated then.According to the mortar strength test and the ASR suppressing test results,C-S-H phase contributed to mortar strength,but its amount did not decide the ASR suppressing effect of fly ash.

Coal-fired power plant and industrial stacks that using coal produce solid waste such as bottom ash and fly ash. Determination of elements in these wastes qualitatively and quantitatively is usually the first step taken for subsequent evaluation of the associated environmental and biological risks. In this study, the determination of trace elements in bottom ash and fly ash by instrumental neutron activation analysis was carried out. The samples were irradiated at rabbit facility in G.A. Siwabessy reactor with neutron flux ~ 1013 n.cm-2.s-1, and then counted by HPGe spectrometer gamma detector. The validation of method was performed by characterization of standard reference material (SRM) 1633b coal fly ash from National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Some elements such as Al, As, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, K, La, Mn, Na, Sc, Sm, Ti and V were detected in both samples. The concentration of environmentally toxic elements, As and Cr in bottom ash were 6.24 and 137.4 mg/kg, whereas in fly ash were 6.37 and 39.0 mg/kg respectively. Arsenic concentrations had been over the standard value based on PP no.85/1999. (author)

Full Text Available Coal blending is an effective way to organize and control coalash fusibility to meet different requirements of Coal-fired power plants. This study investigates three different eutectic processes and explains the mechanism of how coal blending affects ash fusibility. The blended ashes were prepared by hand-mixing two raw coalashes at five blending ratios, G:D = 10:90 (G10D90, G:D= 20:80 (G20D80, G:D = 30:70 (G30D70, G:D = 40:60 (G40D60, and G:D = 50:50 (G50D50. The samples were heated at 900 °C, 1000 °C, 1100 °C, 1200 °C, and 1300 °C in reducing atmosphere. XRD and SEM/EDX were used to identify mineral transformations and eutectic processes. The eutectic processes were finally simulated with FactSage. Results show that the fusion temperatures of the blended ashes initially decrease and then increase with the blending ratio, a trend that is typical of eutectic melting. Eutectic phenomena are observed in D100, G10D90, and G30D70 in different degrees, which do not appear in G100 and G50D50 for the lack of eutectic reactants. The main eutectic reactants are gehlenite, magnetite, merwinite, and diopside. The FactSage simulation results show that the content discrepancy of merwinite and diopside in the ashes causes the inconsistent eutectic temperatures and eutectic degrees, in turn decrease the fusion temperature of the blended ash and then increase them with the blending ratio.

The impact of fly ash on the chemistry of the River Yamuna was studied. By-products from a 200 MW capacity Indraprasha thermal power station on the west bank of the River Yamuna, Delhi are largely from coal combustion (fly ash) and are disposed of as a slurry in off-site ash ponds. Many elements associated with fly ash are soluble and become available to the biota. A two-year survey was made of the seasonal variations in limnochemical features in the non-impacted and the impacted segments of the river receiving fly ash effluent and the ash treatment ponds. Conductivity, TDS, DO, hardness, sulphate and nitrate increased significantly in the receiving waters over background values. The reverse was noticed for free CO{sub 2}, alkalinity and phosphate. Changes in some other parameters were insignificant. Fly ash effluent from the ash ponds significantly increased the concentration of some elements, viz., Al, Sb, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Li, Mn, Mo, K, Si and Zn in river water. Generally, the highest concentration of most parameters were recorded in the ash ponds. This investigation was helpful in assessing the effect of wet ash disposal on the river limnology and understanding the solubility of various elements in the ash ponds. 50 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.

The impact of fly ash on the chemistry of the River Yamuna was studied. By-products from a 200 MW capacity Indraprasha thermal power station on the west bank of the River Yamuna, Delhi are largely from coal combustion (fly ash) and are disposed of as a slurry in off-site ash ponds. Many elements associated with fly ash are soluble and become available to the biota. A two-year survey was made of the seasonal variations in limnochemical features in the non-impacted and the impacted segments of the river receiving fly ash effluent and the ash treatment ponds. Conductivity, TDS, DO, hardness, sulphate and nitrate increased significantly in the receiving waters over background values. The reverse was noticed for free CO2, alkalinity and phosphate. Changes in some other parameters were insignificant. Fly ash effluent from the ash ponds significantly increased the concentration of some elements, viz., Al, Sb, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Li, Mn, Mo, K, Si and Zn in river water. Generally, the highest concentration of most parameters were recorded in the ash ponds. This investigation was helpful in assessing the effect of wet ash disposal on the river limnology and understanding the solubility of various elements in the ash ponds. 50 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

By using the advanced instrumentation of a Computer Controlled Scanning Electron Microscope (CCSEM),X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF), the ash composition and the mineral components of six typical Huainan coals of different origins were studied. The transformation of mineral matter at high temperatures was tracked by XRD in reducing conditions. The quartz phase decreased sharply and the anorthite content tended to increase at first and then decreased with increasing temperatures. The formed mullite phase reached a maximum at 1250 ℃ but showed a tendency of slow decline when the temperature was over 1250 ℃. The mullite formed in the heating process was the main reason of the high ash melting temperature of Huainan coals. Differences in peak intensity of mullite and anorthite reflected differences in phase concentration of the quenched slag fractions, which contributed to the differences in ash melting temperatures. The differences in the location of an amorphous hump maximum indicated differences of glass types which may affect ash melting temperatures. For Huainan coal samples with relatively high ash melting temperatures, the intensity of the diffraction lines for mullite under reducing condition is high while for the samples with relatively low ash melting temperature the intensity for anorthite is high.

Land disposal of coal combustion ash can have a potential impact on the ecosystem due to the leaching of metals with increasing acidity of precipitation. The effect of pH on the concentration of metals leached from coal combustion ash was studied and the toxicity of the leachate measured. Bottom coal combustion ash was leached with hydrochloric acid (HCl) or acetic acid (CH3COOH) at pH 4,5,6 or 7. The toxicity of the aqueous leachates and concentrations of the metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, nickel, silver and zinc) therein were measured using Microtox (Vibrio fischeri-EC50%) and atomic absorption spectrophotometry, respectively. Toxicity and metal concentrations of the leachates were highest when ash was leached with HCl at pH 4. Toxicity and metal concentrations of ash leached with CH3COOH were significantly lower compared with ash leached with HCl. A high correlation was observed between the toxicity and the metal concentrations in both the acid leachates

A laboratory feasibility study has been carried out on new and advanced neutron and gamma-ray analysis systems for the direct on-conveyor belt analysis of ash in coal without the need for sample by-lines. Such an analysis system could deliver the combined advantages of a direct on-conveyor configuration with new and accurate analysis techniques. An industry survey of 18 coal companies carried out in early 1996 indicated that accurate on-belt ash analysis is of the highest priority. Subsequent laboratory work has focussed on the investigation of methods with the potential for improving the accuracy of ash content measurement relative to existing on-belt ash analysers, the most widely-used of which are based on dual energy gamma-ray transmission (DUET), which is sensitive to variations in ash composition. The current work indicates that on-belt neutron/gamma-ray techniques combined with advanced spectral analysis techniques show promise for development into an on-belt ash analysis system which is significantly less sensitive to composition changes than DUET and which analyses a much larger proportion of coal on the belt, thus eliminating some key sources of analysis error

It is well known that all types of coal, like most materials found in nature, contain trace quantities of the naturally occurring primordial radionuclides (uranium and thorium families and potassium-40). Therefore, the combustion of coal results in partitioning of radionuclides included in the non-combustible mineral matter, between the bottom ash and fly ash, and in the release into the environment of large amounts of coalash. Emissions from thermal power stations in gaseous and particulate form contain radioisotopes arising from the uranium and thorium series as well as from 40K. They are discharged into the environment causing changes in the natural radiation background and radiation exposures to the population. The continued releases of these materials to environment may result in a buildup in the air, water and soil of the radionuclides, particularly radium-226. There will be an increase of the basic radiation rate in the neighborhood area of these plants and consequently relatively higher exposure of the local population to radiation. Coal burning is, therefore, one of the sources of technologically enhanced exposure to humans from natural radionuclides (1,2,3,4,5,6). Coal based thermal power plants constitute about 35% of quantum of energy supply in Romania. In view of the importance of coal for energy supply in Romania, we were interested in knowing possible uses of the resulting wastes and minimize the following harmful consequences of coal burning

This study focuses on the synthesis at a pilot plant scale of zeolitic material obtained from the coal fly ashes of the Teruel and Narcea power plants in Spain. After the optimisation of the synthesis parameters at laboratory scale, the Teruel and Narcea fly ashes were selected as low and high glass fly ashes. The pilot plant scale experiments were carried out in a 10 m3 reactor of Clariant SA (Barcelona, Spain). The results allowed obtaining 1.1 and 2.2 tonnes of zeolitic material with 40 an...

Full Text Available In hybrid alkaline fly ash cements, a new generation of binders, hydration, is characterized by features found in both ordinary portland cement (OPC hydration and the alkali activation of fly ash (AAFA. Hybrid alkaline fly ash cements typically have a high fly ash (70 wt % to 80 wt % and low clinker (20 wt % to 30 wt % content. The clinker component favors curing at ambient temperature. A hydration mechanism is proposed based on the authors’ research on these hybrid binders over the last five years. The mechanisms for OPC hydration and FA alkaline activation are summarized by way of reference. In hybrid systems, fly ash activity is visible at very early ages, when two types of gel are formed: C–S–H from the OPC and N–A–S–H from the fly ash. In their mutual presence, these gels tend to evolve, respectively, into C–A–S–H and (N,C–A–S–H. The use of activators with different degrees of alkalinity has a direct impact on reaction kinetics but does not modify the main final products, a mixture of C–A–S–H and (N,C–A–S–H gels. The proportion of each gel in the mix does, however, depend on the alkalinity generated in the medium.

The long-term stability of Hg in coal combustion by-products (CCBs) was evaluated at ambient and near-ambient temperatures. Six CCB samples with atypically high levels of total Hg were selected for study assuming a greater potential for release of measurable amounts of Hg vapor. The samples selected included two fly ash samples from U.S. eastern bituminous coal, two fly ash samples from South African low-rank coal, one fly ash from Powder River Basin (PRB) subbituminous coal blended with petroleum coke, and one PRB subbituminous coal fly ash incorporated with flue gas desulfurization material. Air scrubbed of Hg was passed through compacted 100-g aliquots of each sample at 1 mL/min and vented to a gold-coated quartz trap to collect released Hg vapor. The samples were maintained at ambient and near-ambient (37 degrees C) temperatures. All samples released low-picogram levels of Hg after 90 days. No pattern was evident to link the total Hg content to the rate of release of Hg vapor. An average of 0.030 pg Hg/g CCB/day was released from the samples, which equates to 2.2 x 10(-8) lb Hg/ton CCB/year. If this were applied to a coal-fired power plant production of 200,000 tons of fly ash per year, there would be a maximum potential release of 0.0044 lb, or 2.00 g, of Hg per year. Experiments are continuing to determine long-term vapor release of Hg from CCBs. All samples have been set up in duplicate at ambient temperature with an improved apparatus to reevaluate results reported in this article. PMID:12184691

In this paper we have studied the possibility of determining the chemical elements in coal samples using X-ray fluorescence analysis and have found a relationship between the coal calorific value and its ash content with the coal moisture accounting. The amount of coalash can be determined by the content of the basic chemical elements, such as Si, Sr, Fe, and Ca. It was concluded that the calorific value of coal can be estimated from the ash content in coal without the calorimetric measurements. These correlation coefficients were calculated for several coal mines in Mongolia. The results are in good agreement with the results of chemical analysis

The enormous and worldwide production of coal fly ash cannot be durably isolated from the weathering cycle, and the weathering characteristics of fly ash must be known to understand the long-term environmental impact. The authors studied the weathering of two coal fly ashes and compared them with published data from weathered volcanic ash, it's closest natural analogue. Both types of ash contain abundant aluminosilicate glass, which alters to noncrystalline clay. However, this study reveals that the kinetics of coal fly ash weathering are more rapid than those of volcanic ash because the higher pH of fresh coal fly ash promotes rapid dissolution of the glass. After about 10 years of weathering, the noncrystalline clay content of coal fly ash is higher than that of 250-year-old volcanic ash. The observed rapid clay formation together with heavy metal fixation imply that the long-term environmental impact of coal fly ash disposal may be less severe and the benefits more pronounced than predicted from previous studies on unweathered ash. Their findings suggest that isolating coal fly ash from the weathering cycle may be counterproductive because, in the long-term under conditions of free drainage, fly ash is converted into fertile soil capable of supporting agriculture

Oil shale is a primary fuel in the Estonian energy sector. After combustion 45-48% of the oil shale is left over as ash, producing about 5-7 Mt of ash, which is deposited on ash plateaus annually almost without any reuse. This study focuses on oil shale ash plateau sediment mineralogy, its hydration and diagenetic transformations, a study that has not been addressed. Oil shale ash wastes are considered as the biggest pollution sources in Estonia and thus determining the composition and properties of oil shale ash sediment are important to assess its environmental implications and also its possible reusability. A study of fresh ash and drillcore samples from ash plateau sediment was conducted by X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy. The oil shale is highly calcareous, and the ash that remains after combustion is derived from the decomposition of carbonate minerals. It is rich in lime and anhydrite that are unstable phases under hydrous conditions. These processes and the diagenetic alteration of other phases determine the composition of the plateau sediment. Dominant phases in the ash are hydration and associated transformation products: calcite, ettringite, portlandite and hydrocalumite. The prevailing mineral phases (portlandite, ettringite) cause highly alkaline leachates, pH 12-13. Neutralization of these leachates under natural conditions, by rainwater leaching/neutralization and slow transformation (e.g. carbonation) of the aforementioned unstable phases into more stable forms, takes, at best, hundreds or even hundreds of thousands of years. PMID:20855159

Oil shale is a primary fuel in the Estonian energy sector. After combustion 45-48% of the oil shale is left over as ash, producing about 5-7 Mt of ash, which is deposited on ash plateaus annually almost without any reuse. This study focuses on oil shale ash plateau sediment mineralogy, its hydration and diagenetic transformations, a study that has not been addressed. Oil shale ash wastes are considered as the biggest pollution sources in Estonia and thus determining the composition and properties of oil shale ash sediment are important to assess its environmental implications and also its possible reusability. A study of fresh ash and drillcore samples from ash plateau sediment was conducted by X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy. The oil shale is highly calcareous, and the ash that remains after combustion is derived from the decomposition of carbonate minerals. It is rich in lime and anhydrite that are unstable phases under hydrous conditions. These processes and the diagenetic alteration of other phases determine the composition of the plateau sediment. Dominant phases in the ash are hydration and associated transformation products: calcite, ettringite, portlandite and hydrocalumite. The prevailing mineral phases (portlandite, ettringite) cause highly alkaline leachates, pH 12-13. Neutralization of these leachates under natural conditions, by rainwater leaching/neutralization and slow transformation (e.g. carbonation) of the aforementioned unstable phases into more stable forms, takes, at best, hundreds or even hundreds of thousands of years.

Full Text Available Dense ceramics are produced from fly ash from REK Bitola, Republic of Macedonia. Four types of fly ash from electro filters and one from the collected zone with particles < 0.063 mm were the subject of this research. Consolidation was achieved by pressing (P= 133 MPa and sintering (950, 1000, 1050 and 11000C and heating rates of 3 and 100/min. Densification was realized by liquid phase sintering and solid state reaction where diopside [Ca(Mg,Al(Si,Al2O6] was formed. Ceramics with optimal properties (porosity 2.96±0.5%, bending strength - 47.01±2 MPa, compressive strength - 170 ±5 MPa was produced at 1100ºC using the heating rate of 10ºC/min.

Fly ash, a coal combustion byproduct is classified as types class C and class F. Class C fly ash is traditionally recycled for concrete applications and Class F fly ash often disposed in landfills. Class F poses an environmental hazard due to disposal and leaching of heavy metals into ground water and is important to be recycled in order to mitigate the environmental challenges. A major recycling option is to reuse the fly ash as a low-cost raw material for the production of crystalline zeolites, which serve as catalysts, detergents and adsorbents in the chemical industry. Most of the prior literature of fly ash conversion to zeolites does not focus on creating high zeolite surface area zeolites specifically with hierarchical pore structure, which are very important properties in developing a heterogeneous catalyst for catalysis applications. This research work aids in the development of an economical process for the synthesis of high surface area hierarchical zeolites from class F coal fly ash. In this work, synthesis of zeolites from fly ash using classic hydrothermal treatment approach and fusion pretreatment approach were examined. The fusion pretreatment method led to higher extent of dissolution of silica from quartz and mullite phases, which in turn led to higher surface area and pore size of the zeolite. A qualitative kinetic model developed here attributes the difference in silica content to Si/Al ratio of the beginning fraction of fly ash. At near ambient crystallization temperatures and longer crystallization times, the zeolite formed is a hierarchical faujasite with high surface area of at least 360 m2/g. This work enables the large scale recycling of class F coal fly ash to produce zeolites and mitigate environmental concerns. Design of experiments was used to predict surface area and pore sizes of zeolites - thus obviating the need for intense experimentation. The hierarchical zeolite catalyst supports tested for CO2 conversion, yielded hydrocarbons

The environmental impact of coalash disposal at a landfill site in north-central Chautauqua County, New York was studied from June 1975 through July 1977. Water samples taken from wells, ponds, and streams at 67 sites were analyzed for specific conductance, pH, alkalinity, arsenic, calcium, cadmium, chloride, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, selenium, sodium, sulfate and zinc. Evidence suggests that ponds at the landfill were high in Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, and SO/sub 4/ compared to control pands. A stream adjacent to the site contained greater Mn (207 ug/1) and SO/sub 4/ (229 ppm) than control streams. Shallow alkaline test wells in the landfill had elevated As, Ca, and Se. Acid-neutral test wells had elevated As, Ca, Cr, Mg and Mn. Household wells in the vicinity of the landfill showed no evident contamination from the landfill. Average iron concentrations in the biota were tripled, and manganese concentrations doubled in biota affected by the coalash dump. However, any effects of the disposal area on the distribution of the biota could not be separated from effects of varying environment factors such as water movements, substrate composition and food availability. No harmful effects could be demonstrated on the biota in the creek which flowed past the disposal area.

It was reported previously that alkalineashing of plant material at 600 deg C was the most reliable method of oxidation prior to the final determination of iodine using the Sandell and Kolthoff reaction. However, a few plant materials leave an unacceptably large amount of unburnt carbon in the ash and it is necessary to establish whether ashing at a higher temperature to minimise the amount of unburnt carbon would still give satisfactory recoveries of iodine. Also, some laboratories, using various methods of alkalineashing prior to determination of iodine in urine, have experienced poor recoveries. It was thought that the ashing method recommended by Jones et al. might be adapted satisfactorily for urine. The use of added iodine-125 provides a sensitive and accurate means of studying and clarifying both of these problems. Experimental details are given. Results are reported. It is concluded that (a) ashing of plant material at 650 deg C reduces the amount of unburnt carbon but does not significantly affect the recovery; and (b) the method described is satisfactory for ashing urine prior to either manual determination or the AutoAnalyzer method. (U.K.)

Purpose: We tested the potential of using coal fly ash for improving the physical and hydrological characteristics of coarse and medium-textured agricultural soils. Materials and methods: Acidic (FWA) and alkaline (FNSW) fly ashes were used to amend a range of representative agricultural soils. In the first experiment, fly ash was applied to the top 10 cm of 1-m long intact cores of a sandy loam soil at rates of 0, 12, 36 or 108 Mg/ha and sown with canola; after harvest, bulk density (BD), aggregate stability and mean weight diameter (MWD) were measured on the soil. In the second experiment, we assessed water retention at field capacity (-300 kPa) and permanent wilting point (-1,500 kPa) for sandy and loamy soils amended with FNSW at 0.0-16% (w/w). The third experiment used rainfall simulation to assess erodibility of sandy and loamy soils mixed with FNSW at rates of 0, 5 or 20 Mg/ha. Results and discussion: In the first experiment, fly ash had no significant effect on MWD of the soil. The BD in the 0-10 cm layer (topsoil) was increased with addition of FWA, while FNSW applied at 108 Mg/ha reduced BD, relative to the control treatment. This was because FNSW had lower particle and bulk densities than FWA and the test soils. Ash addition increased macro-aggregation, significantly so in the 10-20 cm layer (subsurface layer), by reducing the percentages of micro-aggregates and silt + clay particles. Thus, macro-aggregation was positively correlated (p < 0.01) with MWD, but both were inversely correlated (p < 0.01) with micro-aggregates. In the second experiment, addition of fly ash enhanced plant water availability by increasing water retention at field capacity by threefold in the sandy soil and 1.5-fold in the loamy sand, but water retention at permanent wilting point was not affected. In Experiment 3, the addition of ash at 20 Mg/ha, but not at 5 Mg/ha, increased turbidity of runoff water from the amended soil due to the dispersal of fine particles by the impact of

Full Text Available Coal combustion residues represent very abundant inorganic waste materials. The change from conventional combustion of powdered North Bohemian brown coal to its combustion in fluidised bed boilers in several Czech power and heating plants calls for detailed mineralogical and geochemical characterisation of the combustion residues. The main differences between fly ashes from both combustion systems result from different burning temperatures and differing systems of desulphurisation (coeval with combustion / post-combustion. Both these factors influence the chemical and phase compositions as well as the speciation of trace elements. The study further shows that the validity of the surface enrichment model (Linton et al. 1975 can be limited.

The CoalAsh Resources Research Consortium{reg_sign} (CARRC{reg_sign}, pronounced 'cars') focuses on performing fundamental and applied scientific and engineering research emphasizing the environmentally safe, economical use of coal combustion by-products (CCBs). CARRC member organizations, which include utilities and marketers, are key to developing industry-driven research in the area of CCB utilization and ensuring its successful application. The U.S. Department of Energy is a partner in CARRC through the EERC Jointly Sponsored Research Program (JSRP), which provides matching funds for industrial member contributions and facilitates an increased level of effort in CARRC. CARRC tasks were designed to provide information on CCB performance, including environmental performance, engineering performance, favorable economics, and improved life cycle of products and projects. CARRC technical research tasks are developed based on member input and prioritization. CARRC special projects are developed with members and nonmembers to provide similar information and to support activities, including the assembly and interpretation of data, support for standards development and technology transfer, and facilitating product development and testing. CARRC activities from 1998 to 2007 included a range of research tasks, with primary work performed in laboratory tasks developed to answer specific questions or evaluate important fundamental properties of CCBs. CARRC topical reports were prepared on several completed tasks. Specific CARRC 1998B2007 accomplishments included: (1) Development of several ASTM International Standard Guides for CCB utilization applications. (2) Organization and presentation of training courses for CCB professionals and teachers. (3) Development of online resources including the CoalAsh Resource Center, Ash from Biomass in Coal (ABC) of cocombustion ash characteristics, and the Buyer's Guide to Coal-Ash Containing Products. In addition

A total of 18 elements viz. Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Sr, V, Zn, Mn, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Co, As and Cd were analyzed in coal, fly ash and bottom ash samples collected across India using an EDXRF technique. Various indices such as element enrichment ratio, enrichment factor (with respect to crustal average) and mineral composition were calculated. Around 95% of mass was reconstructed using the concentration of elements in this study for fly and bottom ash. - Highlights: • Concentrations of 18 elements were determined in coal and ash samples using EDXRF. • Mineral quantification up to 95% was carried out for fly and bottom ash samples. • Enrichment ratios of elements were calculated in combustion residue with respect to coal. • Enrichment factor with respect to crustal average was estimated for ash samples

Plants that are able to accumulate and tolerate extraordinarily high concentrations of heavy metals (hyperaccumulators) can be used for phytoremediation (removal of contaminants from soils) or phytomining (growing a crop of plants to harvest the metals). Two moss species, Bryum capillare Hedw. and Ceratodon purpureus Hedw., were tested as potential phytoremedies under in vivo conditions on a coalash disposal site in the surroundings of Obrenovac (NW Serbia). The content of various heavy meta...

Arsenic (As) leaching from coal fly ash stockpiled at waste disposal sites is a source of environmental concern. An array of techniques including batch extraction and column leaching tests, in combination with speciation analysis of chemically specific As species, was employed to evaluate the mobility of As in fly ashes collected from the U.S. DOE Savannah River Site. The results obtained using the U.S. EPA Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP), a two-step sequential extraction technique, and continuous column leaching experiments suggest that only a small portion of total As in the fly ashes was mobile, but mobilizable As could be a considerable fraction (3.1-43%), varying inversely with alkalinity of fly ash. Speciation analysis by using phosphate extraction suggests that arsenate (As(V)) was the major extractable species in the fly ash samples. During the column leaching experiment, however, it was observed that arsenite (As(III)) was an important species leached out of the fly ashes, indicating species conversion during the leaching process. The matrix-bound As(V) within the fly ash, once being released from the solid matrix, could be converted to As(III) during its transport inside the column. The pHs of leachates and fly ashes (both acidic in column leaching experiments here) could be related to the dominance of As(III) in the effluents. PMID:26933905

This paper presents data on the properties of coal and fly ash from two coal mines and two power plants that burn single-source coal from two mines in Indiana. One mine is in the low-sulfur (5%) Springfield Coal Member of the Petersburg Formation (Pennsylvanian). Both seams have comparable ash contents (???11%). Coals sampled at the mines (both raw and washed fractions) were analyzed for proximate/ultimate/sulfur forms/heating value, major oxides, trace elements and petrographic composition. The properties of fly ash from these coals reflect the properties of the feed coal, as well as local combustion and post-combustion conditions. Sulfur and spinel content, and As, Pb and Zn concentrations of the fly ash are the parameters that most closely reflect the properties of the source coal. ?? 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ontario Hydro has produced on the order of 21 million Mg of coal fly ash over the past 40 years, of which, 80% has gone to various landfill sites in the province of Ontario. Hydrogeologic investigations have been performed in the vicinity of three Ontario Hydro coalash landfill sites to assess the environmental impact of fly ash landfilling on the local groundwater regime. Two of the waste management facilities are associated with thermal generating stations (Lambton TGS and Nanticoke TGS) and are founded on relatively impermeable clay deposits. The third site, Birchwood Park, is a former sand and gravel pit for which the landfill design did not incorporate the use of a liner material. The rates of groundwater flow through the overburden materials a the three sites vary from less than 1 cm/a at the Lambton TGS site, to between 3.45 cm/a and 115 cm/a at contaminant transport at these sites also varies from being controlled by molecular diffusion to advection. This paper discusses the migration rates of contaminants from fly ash leachate at each of the three sites with implications to landfill containment and design

A novel method based on the natural gamma-ray activity of coal has been developed for the on-stream determination of ash. The accuracy of the method has been verified by measuring the natural gamma-ray activity and ash content of coal samples from a number of locations in New Zealand and Australia. The rms differences between % ash by ignition and % ash by the gamma-ray method ranged from 0.65% ash for coal samples from a Queensland mine to 1.6% ash for samples from a southern New South Wales mine. The rms errors include those to geovariance, and due to sampling and sample analysis by conventional means. The error in ash measurement by the gamma-ray method can therefore be reduced by substantially eliminating these errors. A prototype ash analyser was also developed and field-tested at the Huntly East mine. In a four-week test, the prototype gauge was used to determine the ash content of run-of-mine (rom) coal below 20% ash to within +- 1.7% ash. Laboratory studies of coal samples collected during the field test of the prototype gave an error of 0.8% ash for coal samples below 20% ash content. A higher error was observed in the field test compared with laboratory data, and the difference is attributed to errors in sampling from the conveyor belt

In the process of combustion of coal organic and inorganic materials in it will undergo a complex variation. Part of them will become volatiles and, together with coal smoke, enter into atmosphere, some will remain in micro-particulates such as ash and dust and find their way into atmosphere in the form of solid particles, and the rest will be retained in ash and slag. Coalashes are the residues of organic and inorganic substances in coal left after coal combustion and the composition of coalashes is dependent on that of minerals and organic matter in coal This paper deals with the chemical composition of coalashes, the distribution of trace elements in them and their petrological characteristics, and also studies the relationship between the yield of coalashes and the distribution of trace elements. In addition, a preliminary study is also under taken on the factors that affect the chemical composition of coalashes. As viewed from the analyses of coalash samples collected from the Yanzhou mining district, it can be seen clearly that coalashes from the region studied are composed chiefly of crystalline materials, glassy ma terials and uncombusted organic matter and the major chemical compositions are SiO2, A12O3,Fe2O3, and CaO, as well as minor amounts of SO3, P2O5, Na2O, K2O and TiO2. During the combustion of coal, its trace elements will be redistributed and most of them are enriched in coalashes. At the same time, the concentrations of the trace elements in flying ash are much higher than those of bottom ash, i.e. , with decreasing particle-size of coalashes their concen trations will become higher and higher. So the contents of trace elements are negatively propor tional to the particle-size of coalashes. There has been found a positive correlation between the trace elements Th, V, Zn, Cu and Pb and the yield of coalashes while a negative correlation between C1 and the yield of coalashes.

Full Text Available Many researchers had investigated fly ash as an adsorbent for the uptake of organic compounds from petrochemical waste effluents. The availability, inexpensive and its adsorption characteristic had made it an alternative media for the removal of organic compounds from aqueous solution. The physical property of South African Coal Fly Ash (SACFA was investigated to determine its adsorption capability and how it can be improved. Chemical treatment using 1M HCl solution in the ratio of (1 g fly ash to (2 ml of acid was used and compared with untreated heat-treated samples. The chemically treated fly ash has a higher specific surface area of 5.4116 m2/g than the heat-treated fly ash with 2.9969 m2/g. More attention had to be given to the utilization of SACFA for the treatment of wastewaters containing organic compounds through the application of Liquid phase adsorption process that was considered as an inexpensive and environmentally friendly technology.

The increasing demand for energy and the generation of solid waste have caused an alarming rise in fly ash production globally. Since heavy metals continue to be in demand for the production of materials, resource recovery from the recycling of these wastes has the potential to delay the depletion of natural ores. The use of microorganisms for the leaching of metals, in a process called bioleaching, is an eco-friendly and economical way to treat the metal-laden wastes. Bioleaching of fly ash is challenging due largely to the alkaline nature and toxic levels of heavy metals which are detrimental to microbial growth and bioleaching activity. The present work reports the isolation of indigenous bacteria from a local fly ash landfill site and their bioleaching performance. 38 autochthonous strains of bacteria were isolated from eight samples collected and plated on five different media. 18 of the isolates showed bioleaching potential, with significant alkaline pH or fly ash tolerance. Genetic characterization of the strains revealed a dominance of Firmicutes, with Alkalibacterium sp. TRTYP6 showing highest fly ash tolerance of up to 20% w/v fly ash, and growth over a pH range 8-12.5. The organism selectively recovered about 52% Cu from the waste. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a study on bioleaching with extreme alkaliphiles is reported. PMID:27362528

Eight coal-fired power plants in New York State were sampled for coal, fly ash and bottom ash. Samples were analyzed for uranium 238, uranium 235, uranium 234, thorium 232, thorium 230, radium 226, lead 210, polonium 210, radon 222. The leachate of six fly ash samples was analyzed for all of the above except radon 222. Some data on fly ash analysis are included

Full Text Available Coal combustion by-products (CCPs have been around since man understood that burning coal generates electricity, and its utilization in concrete production for nearly a century. The concept of sustainable development only reawaken our consciousness to the huge amount of CCPs around us and the need for proper reutilization than the current method of disposal which has severe consequences both to man and the environment. This paper presents the result of utilization of waste from thermal power plants to improve some engineering properties of concrete. Coal bottom ash (CBA and fly ash were utilized in partial replacement for fine aggregates and cement respectively. The results of compressive strength at 7, 28, 56 & 90 days curing are presented because of the pozzolanic reaction. Other properties investigated include physical properties, fresh concrete properties and density. The results showed that for a grade 35 concrete with a combination of CBA and fly ash can produce 28 day strength above 30 MPa.

Considering compositions, domestic coalash can be used as raw material for cement. However, the high fusion temperature of domestic coalash(>1600 deg.C) prohibits using because the combustion temperature of clinker is around 1450 deg.C. Therefore, mineralizers are needed to lower the ash fusion temperature(AFT) and effects of mineralizers were investigated in this study. For three coalashes from Tae-baek area, pure and mixed mineralizers(CaO, MgO, Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}) were added. Results showed that AFT were lowered to around 1450 deg.C by adding CaO 5-8 wt.%(1360-1471 deg.C), MgO 2-5 wt.%(1360-1480 deg.C), and Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} 2-5 wt.%(1395-1490 deg.C) respectively. Especially, the lowest AFT(1120-1147 deg.C) could be achieved by adding 30 to 40 wt.% of CaO. When 20 to 30 wt.% of mixed mineralizers(CaO : MgO = 1 : 1) were added, AFT was lowered to 1130-1153 deg.C which was the lowest temperature with mixed mineralizer. Also, CaO was recognized as the governing mineralizer on AFT. Recognizing that basic oxides took the main role of mineralizers, the model equation was proposed to estimate AFT. Consequently, simulated results by the model equation represented the measured AFT successfully. (author). 12 refs., 4 tabs., 8 figs.

In this paper coal-fuel oil ash has been characterized in terms of leaching behaviour and reactivity against lime and gypsum in hydratory systems for the manufacture of building materials. Its behaviour was also compared to that of coalash. Metal release was measured in a dynamic leaching test with duration up to 16 days. The results have shown that coal-fuel oil ash behaves very similarly to coalash. The reactivity of coal-fuel oil ash against lime and gypsum was measured in mixtures containing only lime and in mixtures containing both lime and gypsum. These systems were hydrated at 25 and 40 degrees C under 100% R.H. The results have shown that the main hydration products are the same as those that are usually formed in similar coalash-based systems. That is, calcium silicate hydrate in coal-fuel oil ash/lime systems and calcium silicate hydrate plus calcium trisulphoaluminate hydrate in coal-fuel oil ash/lime/gypsum systems. From the quantitative point of view, hydration runs showed that the amounts of both chemically combined water and reacted lime measured in the case under investigation are very similar to those found in similar coalash-based systems. Finally, the measurement of unconfined compressive strength proved that the systems have potentiality for the manufacture of pre-formed building blocks. PMID:15985327

This report presents an overview of investigations into the fly ash formation and sulphation process that occurs when brown coal is burnt. A code has been developed to simulate the chemistry of ash formation. The results of this project show that for the coals considered the chemistry of sodium species in a coal flame is central to the ash formation and fouling. Aluminium based additives have been tested on two Loy Yang coals. The tests show that the additives exert a pronounced influence on ash formation, probably via changes in the heterogeneous condensation of sodium compounds.

Zeolitic material was synthesized from coal fly ashes (baghouse filter fly ash and cyclone filter fly ash) by hydrothermal alkaline activation. The potential application of the zeolitic product for decontamination of waters from acid mine drainage was evaluated. The results showed that a dose of 30 g L-1 of zeolitic material allowed the water to reach acceptable quality levels after treatment. Both precipitation and cation-exchange processes accounted for the reduction in the pollutant concen...

Coal combustion products (coalash) represent one of the largest industrial waste streams in the United States. Coalash contains elevated levels of toxic, bioaccumulative elements such as mercury (Hg), yet the majority of coalash waste is stored in unlined impoundments and landfills. These impoundments have a long history of environmental degradation, including: groundwater contamination, surface water contamination through impoundment effluent discharge, and impoundment failures resulting in catastrophic ash release events. The fate of toxic elements associated with coalash is greatly influenced by environmental parameters, such as redox potential and microbial activity, which induce transformations and leaching of contaminants. Here we used anaerobic sediment-ash microcosms to determine how coalash impacts methyl mercury (MeHg) production in a simulated benthic aquatic environment. We used two coalash types in the microcosms: a weathered ash with low sulfate/Hg content and a fresh fly ash that was relatively enriched in sulfate/Hg compared to the weathered ash. Two different sediments were used in the microcosms: one was a pristine sediment (containing 0.03 mg/kg Hg) and the other was a relatively Hg-contaminated sediment (containing 0.29 mg/kg Hg). Results showed that microcosms amended with the low sulfate/low Hg ash had no net MeHg production. In contrast, microcosms amended with high sulfate/high Hg ash showed increases in MeHg concentrations that were 2 to 3 times greater than control microcosms without ash, indicating that coalash can stimulate MeHg production by providing spikes of Hg and labile sulfate to the aquatic system. MeHg production in ash-amended microcosms containing contaminated sediment was no greater than in the ash-amended pristine sediment microcosms. This may indicate that Hg associated with coalash is more bioavailable than the Hg present in historically contaminated sediments. Illumina sequencing is underway to investigate the

The most important structural components of coalash obtained by coal combustion in 'Nikola Tesla A' power plant located near Belgrade (Serbia) are amorphous alumosilicate, alpha-quartz, and mullite. The phase composition of coalash can be altered to obtain zeolite type NaA that crystallizes in a narrow crystallization field (SiO{sub 2}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}; Na{sub 2}O/SiO{sub 2}; H{sub 2}O/Na{sub 2}O ratios). Basic properties (crystallization degree, chemical composition, the energy of activation) of obtained zeolites were established. Coalash extracts treated with obtained ion-exchange material showed that zeolites obtained from coalash were able to reduce the amounts of iron, chromium, nickel, zinc, copper, lead, and manganese in ash extracts, thus proving its potential in preventing pollution from dump effluent waters.

of flue gas cleaning equipment. This survey includes discussions on the inorganic constituents transformation during straw and coal combustion, alkali-ash and alkali sulfur reactions, a survey of power plant and test rig co-firing experiments, a discussion of equilibrium calculations, a discussion......In this literature report is provided a status for the present knowledge level on ash properties when co-firing coal and biomass. The fly ash formed in boilers using co-firing of coal and straw do have a large influence on ash deposit formation, boiler corrosion, fly ash utilization and operation...... of alkali getter experiments and a discussion of modeling of alkali reaction with kaolin. Presently there is still a need for a better understanding of especially the reaction of potassium with coalash, thereby making better predictions of co-firing ash properties....

The self-cementing mechanism at early ages of circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) coalashes was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared (IR) spectroscopy and chemical method. The results indicate that the amorphous phase is predominant in CFBC coalashes. The polymerization degree of [SiO4] and [AlO6] of CFBC desulphurization coalashes is lower than that of those without desulphurization. The contents of the components with fast hydration rate of CFBC desulphurization coalashes are significantly greater than those of the ashes without desulphurization. This work confirms that the amorphous minerals with high chemical activity are the main causes of the self-cementing property of CFBC desulphurization coalashes at early ages.

Full Text Available Bottom ash is a waste material from coal burnt to generate electric power. It is incombustible and non-biodegradable; hence, the best way to dispose it is by recycling rather than incineration and land filling. Past research on bottom ash in road building have focused mainly on embankment filling, sub-base and base courses; except boiler slag which has received much attention in Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA. Bottom ash from Tanjung Bin Power Station was thus investigated through laboratory testing to justify its use in HMA construction in Malaysia. This Paper analysed the data with regards to performance in HMA. In the Marshall Mix design, the material largely satisfied the Stability, Flow and Stiffness requirements which were comparable to that of conventional aggregates, although void contents were a bit higher. When blended with granite, all the parameters were met. Contrary to past suggestions that bottom ash in HMA consumes more bitumen, the 6.4% (51.20g Optimum Bitumen Content (OBC achieved in this study does not necessarily translate into high consumption, compared to OBC of 5.3% (59.63g in the case of granite. The HMA also proved to be highly resistant to moisture-induced damage and satisfied the minimum JKR specification for Static Uniaxial Load Strain.

http://www.elsevier.com/locate/issn/09213449 The rapid increase in population and economic growth have led to an increase in energy demand. Coal reserves are distributed worldwide, and coal is now known to be the most stable and available energy source. However, utilization of coal as an energy source involves the generation of a great amount of coalash, and the recycling rate of the ash is rather low. Coalash is mainly used in civil construction materials, and there is a lim...

Mineral carbonation of alkaline waste materials is being studied extensively for its potential as a way of reducing the increased level of CO2 in the atmosphere. Carbonation converts CO2 into minerals which are stable over geological time scales. This process occurs naturally but slowly, and needs to be accelerated to offset the present rate of emissions from power plants and other emission sources. The present study attempts to identify the potential of coal fly ash as a source for carbon storage (sequestration) through ex-situ accelerated mineral carbonation. In the study, two operational parameters that could affect the reaction process were tested to investigate their effect on mineralization. Coal fly ash was mixed with water to different water-to-solid ratios and samples were carbonated in a pressure vessel at different initial CO2 pressures. Temperature was kept constant at 40 °C. According to the results, one ton of Hazelwood fly ash could sequester 7.66 kg of CO2. The pressure of CO2 inside the vessel has an effect on the rate of CO2 uptake and the water-to-solid ratio affects the weight gain after the carbonation of fly ash. The results confirm the possibility of the manipulation of process parameters in enhancing the carbonation reaction. - Highlights: ► Mineral sequestration CO2 by of coal fly ash is a slow process under ambient conditions. ► It can be accelerated by manipulating the process parameters inside a reactor. ► Initial CO2 pressure and water to solid mixing ratio inside the reactor are two of those operational parameters. ► According to the test results higher CO2 initial pressure gives higher on rates of CO2 sequestration. ► Water to fly ash mixing ratio effect on amount of CO2 sequestered into fly ash

Growing dependence on coal-fired power plants for electrical generation in many countries presents ongoing environmental challenges. Burning pulverized coal in thermal power plants (TPPs) generates large amounts of fly ash (FA) that must be disposed of or otherwise handled, in an environmentally-sound manner. A possible option for dealing with fly ash is to use it as an amendment for mine spoil or other damaged soil. It has been demonstrated through studies in India and other countries that FA alone or in combination with organic or inorganic materials can be used in a productive manner for reclamation of mine spoil. The characteristics of FA, including silt-sized particles, lighter materials with low bulk density (BD), higher water holding capacity, favorable pH and significant concentrations of many essential plant nutrients, make it a potentially favorable amendment for mine spoil reclamation. Studies have indicated that the application of FA has improved the physical, chemical and biological qualities of soil to which it is applied. The release of trace metals and soluble salts from FA could be a major limitation to its application. This is particularly true of fresh, un-weathered FA or acidic FA, although perhaps not a concern for weathered/pond ash or alkaline FA. Some potential contaminants, especially metals and other salt ions, could be immobilized and rendered biologically inert by the addition of certain inorganic and organic amendments. However, in view of the variability in the characteristics of FAs that are associated with location, feed coal, combustion conditions and other factors, the suitability of a particular FA for a specific soil/mine spoil needs to be critically evaluated before it is applied in order to maximize favorable results and eliminate unexpected consequences. FA generated in India tends to be mostly alkaline, with lower levels of trace elements than are often found in FAs from other countries. The concentrations of potential

Full Text Available We focused our research on recycling industrial wastes, fly ash (F.A, bottom ash (B.A and oil shale ash (S.A in cement production. The study concerns physico-chemical characterization of these products and the influence of their addition on the mechanical proprieties of the CPJ45 cement. XRF allowed us to rank the three additives used according to their contents on major oxides. Coalashes belong to the class F, and thus possess poozzolanic properties and oil shale ash belongs to the class C and possesses hydraulic and poozolanic properties. The crystalline phases constituting each ash were analysed by XRD. We observe in bottom ash the presence of quartz and mullite. The same crystals are found in fly ash with hematite and magnetite. Oil shale ash is composed of quartz, anhydrite, gehlenite, wollastonite and periclase. The microstructures of fly ash and bottom ash were studied using SEM. The bottom ash was composed respectively of fine particles that are generally irregularly shaped, their dimensions are between 5 and 28μm and of big particles(300 μm. The EDX analysis coupled with an electronic microscope provided some information about the major elements that constitute our samples. The dehydrations of anhydrous and three days hydrated cement were examined by DSC. For hydrated cements we noticed endothermic peaks related to the dehydration of CSH, CH and decomposition of carbonates. The study of the mechanical properties of CPJ45 cement by adding different proportions of fly ash, bottom ash and oil shale ash helped clarifying the percentage of ash that leaded to improve the 28 days mechanical strength. The results show that the cements studied have their maximum mechanical resistance with the addition at 7% of fly ash or 10% of oil shale ash.

Full Text Available Plants that are able to accumulate and tolerate extraordinarily high concentrations of heavy metals (hyperaccumulators can be used for phytoremediation (removal of contaminants from soils or phytomining (growing a crop of plants to harvest the metals. Two moss species, Bryum capillare Hedw. and Ceratodon purpureus Hedw., were tested as potential phytoremedies under in vivo conditions on a coalash disposal site in the surroundings of Obrenovac (NW Serbia. The content of various heavy metals (iron, manganese zinc, lead, nickel, cadmium, and copper in the mosses and substrata were investigated over a period of three years. Iron and zinc were found to have the highest concentration in the mosses.

The deterioration of sediments is a serious environmental problem. Controlling nutrient release fluxes from sediments is important to alleviating eutrophication and to reducing terrigenous nutrient loads. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the phosphate removal performance of granulated coalash (GCA) from seawater, which is produced from coal thermal electric power generation. Batch experiments were carried out to investigate the removal kinetics of phosphate from seawater under both oxic and anoxic conditions. Phosphate was removed well from seawater under both oxic and anoxic conditions. The adsorption isotherm for phosphate revealed that GCA could remove phosphate effectively from seawater above a concentration of 1.7micromolL(-1). GCA can reduce the concentration of phosphate in seawater effectively under anoxic conditions where iron type adsorbents cannot be applied. Therefore, GCA could potentially be used to adsorb phosphate in the organically-enriched sediment, which generally occurs under highly reductive conditions. PMID:20403625

Society's demand for an inexpensive fuel, combined with ignorance of the long term impacts, has left numerous scars on the Pennsylvania landscape. There are over 250,000 acres of abandoned surface mines with dangerous highwalls and water filled pits. About 2,400 miles of streams do not meet water quality standards because of drainage from abandoned mines. There are uncounted households without an adequate water supply due to past mining practices. Mine fires and mine subsidence plague many Pennsylvania communities. The estimated cost to reclaim these past scars is over $15 billion. The beneficial use of coalash in Pennsylvania for mine reclamation and mine drainage pollution abatement projects increased during the past ten years. The increase is primarily due to procedural and regulatory changes by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Prior to 1986, DEP required a mining permit and a separate waste disposal permit for the use of coalash in backfilling and reclaiming a surface mine site. In order to eliminate the dual permitting requirements and promote mine reclamation, procedural changes now allow a single permit which authorize both mining and the use of coalash in reclaiming active and abandoned pits. The actual ash placement, however, must be conducted in accordance with the technical specifications in the solid waste regulations

This study presents measurements of airborne concentrations of respirable crystalline silica in the breathing zone of workers who were anticipated to encounter coal fly ash. Six plants were studied; two were fired with lignite coal, and the remaining four plants used bituminous and subbituminous coals. A total of 108 personal breathing zone respirable dust air samples were collected. Bulk samples were also collected from each plant site and subjected to crystalline silica analysis. Airborne dust particle size analysis was measured where fly ash was routinely encountered. The results from bituminous and subbituminous fired plants revealed that the highest airborne fly ash concentrations are encountered during maintenance activities: 0.008 mg/m3 to 96 mg/m3 (mean of 1.8 mg/m3). This group exceeded the threshold limit values (TLV) in 60% of the air samples. During normal production activities, airborne concentrations of crystalline silica ranged from nondetectable to 0.18 mg/m3 (mean value of 0.048 mg/m3). Air samples collected during these activities exceeded the current and proposed TLVs in approximately 54% and 65% of samples, respectively. Limited amounts of crystalline silica were detected in samples collected from lignite-fired plants, and approximately 20% of these air samples exceeded the current TLV. Particle size analysis in areas where breathing zone air samples were collected revealed mass median diameters typically between 3 microm and 8 microm. Bulk and air samples were analyzed for all of the common crystalline silica polymorphs, and only alpha quartz was detected. As compared with air samples, bulk samples from the same work areas consistently yielded lower relative amounts of quartz. Controls to limit coal fly ash exposures are indicated during some normal plant operations and during episodes of short term, but high concentrations of dust that may be encountered during maintenance activities, especially in areas where ash accumulations are present

The common disadvantage of using high volumes of coalashes (both bottom ash and fly ash) in lightweight concrete production is the presence in the ashes of trace amounts of heavy metals and natural radionuclides such as 226Ra, 232Th and 40K. Therefore, coalashes are classified in many cases as a material with enhanced radioactivity. Accordingly, the use of coalashes in lightweight concrete must comply with requirements of international recommendations and national legislations. Over the past decade, a series of studies were performed at the Ariel University Center of Samaria (Ariel, Israel) in search for optimum solutions for the use of coalashes (both fly and bottom ashes) in the lightweight concrete technology. These studies included investigations of scientific and engineering issues related to the radiological and engineering aspects of the utilization of coalashes in the building industry, as described in this paper. Special attention was paid to a problem of producing ecologically-friendly concrete based on coalashes. Our product contributes significantly to the advancement of material recirculation by using in addition to fly ash, also bottom ash. This significant by product of coal combustion is used at present predominantly for construction beddings, structural fills. Utilization of fly ash for concrete production contributes to the reduction of the potential damage to the environment that can be caused by the accumulation of coalashes in piles and ponds near power stations. Bonding the ash particles (in safe quantities) with the cement in concrete articles and structures reduces the potential exposure of humans to internal radiation by avoiding the penetration of fine ash particles to human internal organs. In order to lower the radioactivity of concrete resulting from the use of coalashes, we added to the concrete mixture calculated amounts of unprocessed crushed sand (UCS). This material is denser and is very low in radioactivity. UCS is a by

Fly ashes are typical complex solids which incorporate at the same time intrinsic properties derived from the layers (various mineralogical and dimensional spectra) and major transformations generated during prior processing. To use fly ashes in various applications, it is necessary to characterise them completely. The first research to date carried out on silico-aluminous fly ashes in order to characterise them physically,morphologically, chemically and mineralogically, resulted in the recognition that they are relatively simple materials. In the present study, a silico-aluminous fly ash coming from the power station of Albi (France) was selected. Heat treatment at 450 and 1200 ~C together with coal simulated the treatment undergone by coal in the power station in order to mimic real coal residue. In conclusion, the diversity of the particles contained in fly ash could only be explained by the relation existing between the fly ash and its coal of origin.

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to determine the impact of addition of coalash from Dobrotvir TPP to waste heaps gangue (Chervonograd Mining Region on the number of different groups of microorganisms. 20 samples from three waste heaps, from the black and red gangue, under the mosses and from bare substrate and also from terrace, top and base of each waste heap, were selected. Waste heaps gangues with coalash from Dobrotir TPP were mixed in vitro and left for 10 days. We used proportion of coalash to gangue as 1 to 5. Microorganisms were grown in Petri dishes containing 20–30 ml agar medium and in 22 ml tubes at temperature of 28 °C. Microscopic fungi were revealed on Mash-agar; oligonitrophilic bacteria – on Ashby medium; actinomycetes – on Chapek’s medium; cellulose decomposing aerobic bacteria – on Hetchenson medium; colorless sulfur oxidizing bacteria: neutrophilic – on Beyerinck medium, acidophilic – on Silverman and Lundgren 9К medium. The acidity value of waste heaps gangue samples was determined by рН meter рН-150М. We observed that samples collected under the mosses had lower acidity compared to samples from the bare substrate. We also revealed lower acidity of the overburn red gangue than the acidity of freshly deposited black gangue. To sum up, application of coalash resulted in lowering of acidity value among all samples under study. Coalash addition led to increase in number of microscopic fungi cells compared to the appropriate control samples. The highest quantity of microscopic fungi (16.2 ± 0.79 х 105 CFU/g of gangue was revealed in sample from red rock of the main waste heap of Central Enrichment Plant (CEP. At the same time, we observed the highest cell number in the control sample under the mosses of “Nadija” coal pit waste heap, (6.1 ± 0.3 х 105 CFU/g of gangue. After coalash addition, most samples featured 2–3 times higher quantities of colorless sulfur-oxidizing neutrophilic bacteria cells. The

This study evaluated the potential for using fly ash as an alkaline material for increasing the pH and decreasing arsenic leaching from highly acidic mine waste. A wood ash sample known to contain high concentrations of both calcium and barium was tested with highly acidic mine waste samples that leached approximately 200 mg/L of arsenic at a liquid/solid ratio of 2. Samples were mixed with the fly ash. Control samples consisted of only mine waste, while the amended samples contained 10 g of mine waste and 10 g of wood ash. Ultra pure water was used as a leachant for both systems until the liquid-solid ratio that corresponded to 900 years of drainage for a waste pile that was 3 m high with an annual run-off of 300 mm. Results of the experimental study showed that the pH in the control increased from 1.7 to 2.7, while the pH in the amended system decreased from 12.6 to 11.5. Initial concentrations of arsenic decreased by almost 3 orders of magnitude in the amended systems. Co-precipitation with the iron, and the calcium arsenate precipitation process were identified as the principal arsenic immobilization mechanisms. The study demonstrated that under the right chemical conditions, alkaline amendments can be used to reduce arsenic leaching from mine wastes. 5 refs., 2 tabs., 1 fig.

Rare earth elements (REEs) are critical and strategic materials in the defense, energy, electronics, and automotive industries. The reclamation of REEs from coal combustion fly ash has been proposed as a way to supplement REE mining. However, the typical REE contents in coal fly ash, particularly in the United States, have not been comprehensively documented or compared among the major types of coal feedstocks that determine fly ash composition. The objective of this study was to characterize a broad selection of U.S. fly ashes of varied geological origin in order to rank their potential for REE recovery. The total and nitric acid-extractable REE content for more than 100 ash samples were correlated with characteristics such as the major element content and coal basin to elucidate trends in REE enrichment. Average total REE content (defined as the sum of the lanthanides, yttrium, and scandium) for ashes derived from Appalachian sources was 591 mg kg(-1) and significantly greater than in ashes from Illinois and Powder River basin coals (403 and 337 mg kg(-1), respectively). The fraction of critical REEs (Nd, Eu, Tb, Dy, Y, and Er) in the fly ashes was 34-38% of the total and considerably higher than in conventional ores (typically less than 15%). Powder River Basin ashes had the highest extractable REE content, with 70% of the total REE recovered by heated nitric acid digestion. This is likely due to the higher calcium content of Powder River Basin ashes, which enhances their solubility in nitric acid. Sc, Nd, and Dy were the major contributors to the total REE value in fly ash, based on their contents and recent market prices. Overall, this study shows that coal fly ash production could provide a substantial domestic supply of REEs, but the feasibility of recovery depends on the development of extraction technologies that could be tailored to the major mineral content and origins of the feed coal for the ash. PMID:27228215

Full Text Available In Malaysia, coal has been used as a raw material to generate electricity since 1988. In the past, most of the wastage of coal burning especially the bottom ash was not managed properly as it was dumped in the waste pond and accumulated drastically.This paper focuses on some properties of coalash mixtures (fly ash and bottom ash mixtures from Tanjung Bin power plant. The characteristics studied were morphological properties, compaction behaviour and strength properties. Strength properties of coalash mixtures are carried out by conducting direct shear test and unconfined compression test. Besides, morphology and mineralogy of coalash mixtures are studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM and x-ray diffraction (XRD. The coalash mixtures were compacted at 95% of maximum dry density, sealed and cured for 0, 14, and 28 days before they were analysed for shear strength, morphological and mineralogical analyses. The shear strength of coalash mixtures varied depending on the fly ash compositions. The maximum shear strength was obtained at mixture with 50%FA: 50%BA and the value increased with curing periods. The friction angle obtained ranged from 27° to 37°. Morphological analysis showed that the number of irregular shaped particles increased confirming change in material type with curing period. From mineralogical analysis, the crystalline compounds present in Tanjung Bin coalash were Mullite, Quartz, Calcium Phosphide, Calcite, Cristobalite and Hematite. It can be concluded that the coalash mixtures can advantageously be applied in the construction of embankments, roads, reclamation and fill behind retaining structures.

Lignite coal fly ash from the 'Nikola Tesla' power plant in Yugoslavia has been characterised, milled, compacted and sintered to form monolithic ceramic materials. The effect of firing at temperatures between 1130 and 1190{sup o}C on the density, water accessible porosity, mineralogy and microstructure of sintered samples is reported. This class C fly ash has an initial average particle size of 82 {mu}m and contains siliceous glass together with the crystalline phases quartz, anorthite, gehlenite, hematite and mullite. Milling the ash to an average particle size of 5.6 m, compacting and firing at 1170{sup o}C for 1 h produces materials with densities similar to clay-based ceramics that exhibit low water absorption. Sintering reduces the amount of glass, quartz, gehlenite and anhydrite, but increases formation of anorthite, mullite, hematite and cristobalite. SEM confirms the formation of a dense ceramic at 1170{sup o}C and indicates that pyroplastic effects cause pore formation and bloating at 1190{sup o}C. 23 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.

Leaching of ten elements - namely, Fe, Mn, Ca, Na, K, Cu, Cr, Zn, As and Pb - from four fly ash samples collected from four different coal-fired thermal power plants in West Bengal, India, has been reported. The leaching conditions were selected to broadly simulate that of surface coal mines in order to estimate the usefulness of the materials for back-filling of abandoned mines and to assess the possibility of contamination of the sites by release of heavy metal ions. Sequential batch leaching consisted of four cycles each of seven days duration; the long-term leaching continued over a period of 180 days. The starting pH of the leaching solutions ranged from strongly acidic to strongly basic. The leaching pattern and its dependence on the pH as well as the solid-liquid ratio have been critically analyzed. A much higher mobility of the elements have been expectedly observed at a low pH. Less leaching is found at a high pH except for arsenic. The mobilization pattern is strongly governed by the well-known phenomenon of dissolution and re-precipitation of iron with co-precipitation of a series of elements depending upon the pH of the medium. Extraction equilibrium was reached for Ca, Fe, Na and Zn at certain pH values. A monotonic trend of release for the elements Mn, K, Cu, Pb, Cr and As persisted over the long-term leaching period of 180 days. The alkalinity or the calcium content of an ash sample greatly determines the leaching pattern if the solution pH is neutral or mildly acidic. It appears that the risk pollution of ground water as well as of surface water may not be avoidable if fly ash alone is used for mine back-filling in an environment where acid mine drainage is prominent. Nevertheless blending with lime to enhance the alkalinity appears to offer a practical solution to the problem. 45 refs., 10 figs., 3 tabs.

The CoalAsh Resources Research Consortium{reg_sign} (CARRC{reg_sign}, pronounced 'cars') is the core coal combustion product (CCP) research group at the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC). CARRC focuses on performing fundamental and applied scientific and engineering research emphasizing the environmentally safe, economical use of CCPs. CARRC member organizations, which include utilities and marketers, are key to developing industry-driven research in the area of CCP utilization and ensuring its successful application. The U.S. Department of Energy is a partner in CARRC through the EERC Jointly Sponsored Research Program, which provides matching funds for industrial member contributions and facilitates an increased level of effort in CARRC. CARRC tasks were designed to provide information on CCP performance, including environmental performance, engineering performance, favorable economics, and improved life cycle of products and projects. CARRC technical research tasks are developed based on member input and prioritization. CARRC special projects are developed with members and nonmembers to provide similar information and to support activities, including the assembly and interpretation of data, support for standards development and technology transfer, and facilitating product development and testing. CARRC activities from 2007 to 2009 included a range of research tasks, with primary work performed in laboratory tasks developed to answer specific questions or evaluate important fundamental properties of CCPs. The tasks were included in four categories: (1) Environmental Evaluations of CCPs; (2) Evaluation of Impacts on CCPs from Emission Controls; (3) Construction and Product-Related Activities; and (4) Technology Transfer and Maintenance Tasks. All tasks are designed to work toward achieving the CARRC overall goal and supporting objectives. The various tasks are coordinated in order to provide broad and useful technical data for CARRC members

Coal is known to contain naturally occurring radioactive elements and there has been speculation that as a results, coal-fuelled power generation stations may be significant emitters of these substances. In this report, the subject of radioactivity is introduced. The kinds of radioactive substances which occur naturally in coal formations, the nature of their emissions and the existing information on their behaviour and their effects on environmental organisms are also reviewed. The results of an examination of levels of alpha, beta and gamma radiaton levels, and the substances which produce them in coals, fly ashes, bottom ashes and related wastewaters at six Canadian coal-fuelled power stations are presented. Difficulties in studies of this nature and the potential effects of these releases on organisms in the adjacent aquatic environment are discussed. Existing and potential technologies for the removal of these substances from wastewaters are examined. In general the releases in wastewaters from the six stations were found to be lower than those known to cause short-term or acute biological effects. The potential for long-term effects from such low-level releases could not be accurately assessed because of the paucity of information. A number of recommendations for: improvements in further studies of this nature; the further examination of the fate of naturally occurring radionuclides in the environment; and the determination of the long-term effects of low levels of naturally occurring radioactive substances on aquatic organisms, are made

Coalash/polyethylene oxide (ash/PEO) composite films were prepared by the solution casting technique. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs indicated that the ash particles were dispersed and embedded well within the polymer matrix. The size of the ash particles in the PEO matrix was less than 3 m m. The polarized optical microscopic (POM) analyses revealed that the pure PEO, upon crystallization, showed distinct crystalline spherulites of a considerable size. The size of...

Full Text Available Serbian thermal power plants (TPPs produce siliceous fly ash from lignite in the quantity of approximately 6 million tons per year. The potential market for the use of fly ash is operational, but for the time being, only used by cement producers. Fly ash radioactivity could be one of the major points of concern when larger use of fly ash is planned, particularly in the Serbian construction industry. Radioactivity measurements have been conducted regularly for decades. This paper presents the results of a ten-year fly ash radioactivity measurements at the Nikola Tesla B TPP located in Obrenovac. In addition, the paper compares the natural radionuclides coal content data combusted by the Nikola Tesla B TPP boilers coming from the Kolubara Basin and ash created during coal combustion. Fly ash created in the Nikola Tesla TPPs boilers is characterised by the increased concentration of the natural radionuclides content compared to coal. This is the so-called technologically enhanced natural radioactivity (Technologically Enhanced Occurring Radioactive Material - TENORM of industrial waste, whereas the average specific activities: 232Th in coal amount to 25.2 Bq/kg, and in fly ash and coal 84.2 Bq/kg and 238U 38.3 Bq/kg, respectively. Following the obtained natural radionuclides content results it may be concluded that the Nikola Tesla B TPP ash may be disposed into the environment. Ash may be used also in the construction industry (civil engineering. In building construction applications, ash share as the additive to other building materials depends from its physical and chemical characteristics, as well as from the radionuclides activity: 266Ra, 232Th and 40K. Unlike the thermal power plants regularly (once a year testing the specific natural radionuclides activity in the combusted coal and boiler fly ash, Electric Power Industry of Serbia has not performed large-scale investigations of the natural radionuclides content in coal within the Kolubara

Coal fired thermal power contributes 70% of power in India. Coal fired power generation results in huge amounts of fly ash and bottom ash of varying properties. Coal, which contains the naturally occurring radionuclides, on burning results in enrichment of these radionuclides in the ashes. In the present study, coal, bottom ash and fly ash samples collected from six coal-fired power plants in India were measured for 210Po using alpha spectrometry and for natural U, 226Ra, 232Th and 40K by an HPGe γ-ray spectrometer. 210Po in fly ash ranged from 25.7 to 70 Bq/kg with a mean value of 40.5 Bq/kg. The range and mean activities of 238U, 226Ra, 232Th, 40K in fly ash were 38.5–101 (78.1), 60–105.7 (79), 20–125 (61.7) and 43.6–200 (100) Bq/kg respectively. Fly ash and bottom ash contains two to five times more natural radionuclides than feed coal. The results were compared with the available data from earlier studies in other countries. The effect of particle size on enrichment factor of the nuclides in fly ash was studied. 210Po showed the largest size dependence with its concentration favoring the smaller particle size while 232Th showed least size dependence. 238U and 226Ra showed behavior intermediate to that of 210Po and 232Th. Also the correlation between sulfur content of the feed coal and activity of 210Po was investigated. Increased sulfur content in feed coal enhanced enrichment of 210Po in ash

Coalash obtained by coal combustion in the "Nikola Tesla A" power plant in Obrenovac, near Belgrade, Yugoslavia, is mixed with water of the Sava river and transported to the dump. In order to assess pollution caused by leaching of some minor and major elements during ash transport through the pipeline, two sets of samples (six samples each) were subjected to a modified sequential extraction. The first set consisted of coalash samples taken immediately after combustion, while the second set was obtained by extraction with river water, imitating the processes that occur in the pipeline. Samples were extracted consecutively with distilled water and a 1 M solution of KCl, pH 7, and the differences in extractability were compared in order to predict potential pollution. Considering concentrations of seven trace elements as well as five major elements in extracts from a total of 12 samples, it can be concluded that lead and cadmium do not present an environmental threat during and immediately after ash transport to the dump. Portions of zinc, nickel and chromium are released during the ash transport, and arsenic and manganese are released continuously. Copper and iron do not present an environmental threat due to element leaching during and immediately after the coalash suspension and transport. On the contrary, these elements, as well as chromium, become concentrated during coalash transport. Adsorbed portions of calcium, magnesium and potassium are also leached during coalash transport. PMID:11341293

The feasibility of the application of the fission track registration technique for the determination of uranium in coalashes was shown. The wet method was employed using as detector the Makrofol KG=10 μm, manufactured by Bayer. The coalashes were originated from coal-fueled power stations localized in Southern Brazil. The results obtained ranged from 10 to 27 mg U/kg. Since the total error variation was from 18,4% to 23,8%, the method used was considered excellent. The determination of the uranium content in coalashes is of considerable interest in environmental control in power stations, in their vicinity and wherever these ashes are used or stored. The technique used is the work proved to be very appropriate for the purpose aimed at. (Author)

High ash thermal coal from India was used to conduct the dry processing of fine coal using a pneumatic table to evolve a techno-economically novel technique. The fine as-received sample having 55.2%ash was subjected to washability studies at variant densities from 1.4 to 2.2 to assess the amenability to separa-tion. The experiments were conducted using a central composite design for assessing the interactive effects of the variable parameters of a pneumatic table on the product yield and ash content. The perfor-mance of the pneumatic table was analyzed in terms of clean coal yield, recovery of combustibles, separation efficiency (Esp) and useful heat value of clean coal. The combustibles of clean coal obtained through a single stage operation at 35% and 38.7% ash were 40% and 63% respectively. However, the two stage processing was more effective in reducing the ash content in the clean coal. The rougher con-centrate generated at higher ash level was subsequently processed in different conditions at 35% ash level, and 58%combustibles could be recovered. Hence, two stage processing increases the combustibles by 18 units and the useful heat value of clean coal increases from 1190 kcal/kg to 3750 kcal/kg.

Afsin-Elbistan (AE) coal fly ashes obtained by burning coal samples from top, middle and bottom sections of the AE coal seam were characterized and their properties were compared. Chemical analysis of the AE coal fly ashes showed that they are mainly composed of CaO, SiO{sub 2}, Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Quantitative X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were carried out using an interactive data processing system (SIROQUANT{sup TM}) based on Rietveld interpretation methods. Lime is found in all the samples, ranging from around 7% to just over 38%. Amorphous contents of fly ashes are ranged between 19% and 25%. Different types of AE fly ashes revealed that bottom section coal fly ash is very similar to Class F, while medium and top section coal fly ashes are close to Class C and they might be used as mineral admixture in concrete. But also they do not comply with any of the standard. The results presented here show new possibilities for AE coal fly ashes in a wide range of fields, resulting in great advantages in waste minimization, as well as, resources conservation.

Highlights: ► Isotope dilution is a useful method to resolve the reactivity of Cd and Pb in ash. ► Only 0.3–3% of the total Pb and Zn and 4–13% of the total Cd in coalash are labile. ► Fly ash weathering exerts little impact on the lability of Cd, Pb and Zn. ► A 0.05 M EDTA extraction can be used as a simple proxy for isotope dilution assays. - Abstract: Large volumes of coal fly ash are continually being produced and stockpiled around the world and can be a source of environmentally sensitive trace elements. Whilst leaching tests are used for regulatory purposes, these provide little information about the true geochemical behaviour and ‘reactivity’ of trace elements in coalash because they are poorly selective. Isotope dilution (ID) assays are frequently used in soil geochemistry as a means of measuring the reactive pools of trace metals that are in equilibrium with soil pore waters. This paper examines the applicability of multi-element ID assays in measuring the labile or reactive pool of Cd, Pb and Zn in a range of fresh and weathered fly ash, where pH is generally much more alkaline than in soils. The method generally worked well using 0.0005 M EDTA as a background electrolyte as it provided robust analytical ICP-MS measurements as well as fulfilling the important principle of ID that non-labile metal should not be solubilised. Reactive pools were equivalent to 0.5–3% of the total Pb pool and 4–13% of the total Cd pool. For Zn, where samples had pH < 11.5, the reactive Zn pool varied between 0.3% and 2%; when fresh ash samples with pH > 11.5 were tested, the method failed as the spiked isotope appeared to be sorbed or precipitated. Ash weathering was found to exert little impact on the lability of Cd, Pb and Zn. Isotope dilution results were compared with 0.43 M HNO3 and 0.05 M EDTA extractions, these commonly being used as analogues of the ID assay, and concluded that these can be used as fast, cost-effective and simple proxies for the

In this present work, fly ash and bottom ash with high crystalline silica content were obtained from the coal-fired boilers within the paper industries in Thailand. These coalashes were used as the basic raw materials for synthetic zeolite production. The crystal type and crystallinity, specific surface area and pore size, and textural properties of zeolite products were characterized by using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), N{sub 2} sorption analysis, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), respectively. It was found that sodalite octahydrate was selectively formed via the direct conventional (one-step) synthesis, whereas through a two-step, sodium silicate preparation and consecutive zeolite A synthesis process, 94 and 72 wt.% zeolite A products could be produced from the fly ash and bottom ash, respectively. The cation-exchange capacity (CEC) of fly ash and bottom ash-derived zeolite A products were closely similar to that of the commercial grade zeolite A.

Under contract with the Spain's 'Nuclear Safety Council', a study is being conducted of the nation's largest nominal output coal-fired power stations. Its purpose is to assess the radiological impact on workers and local populations due to this source of NORM activity. One of the aspects of particular interest is the study of the radioactive enrichment in the combustion wastes relative to the different coals used as fuel (usually local bituminous coal or lignite, or imported coal). These wastes consist of fly ash (mostly fine particles collected in electrostatic precipitators), and bottom ash (larger in size, and collected wet or dry in hoppers below the boilers). In general terms, the enrichment factors measured were between 2 and 18 for the radionuclides 40K, 226Ra, 232Th, and 210Po. The magnitude of this enrichment factor depended mainly on the ash content of each coal, and hence on the type of coal used as fuel and the specific operation cycle in the different power stations. For the radionuclides 40K, 226Ra, and 232Th, the enrichment was relatively similar in value in the fly and bottom ashes produced by the different types of coal used in the power stations studied. For 210Po, however, as was expected, the enrichment was much greater in the fly ash than in the bottom ash for each coal analyzed. (author)

Maintenance of a high oil value has an influence to energy crisis and national security in South Korea which does not have energy resources. The coals which have characterized by the abundant reserves and the inexpensive price can be said to be the alternative energy source. Hyper-coal process, which has been developed in Japan since 1999, is a new effective process to produce a clean coal by using the solvent de-ashing technology. When coal is extracted with organic solvent, only the organic portion of coal is dissolved in the solvents. That is possible to apply the low rank coal. This study was performed to produce ashless coal by using the solvent de-ashing technology. The experiment was conducted in the batch(or semi-batch) type reactor with two solvents such as NMP(N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone) and 1-MN(1-methylnaphthalene) and various coals such as Kideko coal, Roto South coal and Sunhwa coal at 200-400{sup o}C. As a result of the test, extraction yield of coals was more than 60% on daf. Ash concentration which contains the extracted coal was 0.11-1.0wt%. The heat value was increased from 5,400 kcal/kg to 7,920 kcal/kg in the Roto South coal. 10 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.

To use fly ash and coal waste effectively,the current technologies for reprocessing and recycling these wastes into eco-building materials were reviewed,such as utilizing fly ash as the component of fly ash cement and low heat cement after the processes of separation,removal of carbon remains and fine comminution,calcining coal waste into kaolin and meta-kaolin with suspension technology,and preparing clinkerless alkali-activated geopolymer materials with fly ash and meta-kaolin.

This study investigates the potential of incorporating inorganic amendments such as coal and bagasse ashes in different composting mixes. 10 different composting mixes were assessed as follows: A-20% bagasse ash (BA) with unsorted municipal solid wastes (UMSW); B-40% BA with UMSW; C-UMSW; D-20% BA with sorted municipal solid wastes (SMSW); E-40% BA with SMSW; F-SMSW; G-20% coalash (CA) with UMSW; H-40% CA with UMSW; I-20% CA with SMSW and J-40% CA with SMSW. The composting processes were carried out in rotary drum composters. Composting mixes D, F, G and I achieved a temperature above 55 °C for at least 3 days, with the following peak temperatures: D-62 °C, F-57 °C, G-62 °C and I-58 °C. D resulted in the highest average net Volatile solids (VS) degradation of 68.6% and yielded the highest average volume reduction of 66.0%. The final compost from D, G, I, C and F were within range for electrical conductivities (EC) (794-1770 μS/cm) and pH (6.69-7.12). The ashes also helped in maintaining high average water holding capacities within the range of 183-217%. The C/N ratio of sorted wastes was improved by the addition of 20% coalash and bagasse ash. Higher germination indices, above 0.8 were obtained for the ash-amended compost (D, G, I), indicating the feasibility and enhancement of using bagasse and coalash as inorganic amendment in the composting process. Regarding heavy metals content, the chromium concentration for the composting mix G was found to be the highest whereas mixes D and I showed compliance with the MS (Mauritian Standards) 164 standards. PMID:26093343

Highlights: •Investigation of a direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) using raw and ash-free coal fuels. •Enhanced durability of a DCFC performance using ash-free coal. •Comprehensive characterization of physicochemical properties of coals. •Development of an optimal design of the configuration of DCFC reactor. -- Abstract: We have investigated the comparable performance of raw and ash-free coal in the operation of a direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC). The various structural and morphological analyses using SEM, TEM, EDX, XPS, XRD, and TGA are carried out to study the distinct physicochemical properties of coals. Due to contained volatile organic compounds, raw coal generates about a two-fold higher fuel cell performance compare to ash-free coal below a reaction temperature of 750 °C. However, over a cell temperature of 900 °C, both of them reach a similar power density of 170 mW cm−2. In the long-term operation of a DCFC, we observe a distinctly more durable power performance using ash-free coal than that of raw coal

Coalash obtained from Nikola Tesla A power plant in Obrenovac, near Belgrade, Yugoslavia, is mixed with water of the Sava river and transported to the dump. In order to assess pollution caused by leaching of some minor and major elements during ash transport through the pipeline, two sets of samples (six samples each) were subjected to a modified sequential extraction. The first set consisted of coalash samples taken immediately after combustion, while the second set was obtained by extraction with river water, imitating the processes that occur in the pipeline. Samples were extracted consecutively with distilled water and a 1 M solution of KCl, pH 7, and the differences in extractability were compared in order to predict potential pollution. It is concluded that lead and cadmium do not present an environmental threat during and immediately after ash transport to the dump. Portions of zinc, nickel and chromium are released during the ash transport, and arsenic and manganese are released continuously. Copper and iron do not present an environmental threat due to element leaching during and immediately after the coalash suspension and transport. On the contrary, these elements, as well as chromium, become concentrated during coalash transport. Adsorbed portions of calcium, magnesium and potassium are also leached during coalash transport.

Isotope Dilution Mass Spectrometry (IDMS) was used to identify and to quantify trace amounts of selected, unsubstituted polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH's) present in extracts of coal fly ash from the solid waste disposal test cell at Montour, Pennsylvania. Isotope dilution experiments using deuterated analogs of polyaromatic hydrocarbons demonstrated that the concentrations of benzo[a]pyrene and anthracene were lower than 1 ng/g of fly ash. Isotope dilution experiments demonstrated that benzo[a]pyrene could be detected at concentrations as high as 1 ng/g when an isotopic carrier was used at a concentration of 125 ng/g in the analytical method. Maximum concentrations of fluorene, fluoranthene, pyrene and chrysene were conservatively estimated to be 3 ng/g of fly ash, using a 95 percent confidence interval based on analytical precision of ±1 ng/g of fly ash. Concentrations of phenanthrene were found to range from 6 to 38 ng/g of fly ash with a mean concentration of 14 ng/g of fly ash. Two sources of phenanthrene were speculated: incomplete combustion of phenanthrene in the coal furnace and addition of phenanthrene to the fly ash after collection by electrostatic precipitators

In the Indian subcontinent power generation is mainly dependent upon the thermal power units and coal is burnt as a fuel for the production of heat and electricity. In India, bituminous and sub-bituminous coals are used which contain over 40% of ash. At present, 80-90 million tons of fly ashes are generated from 85 existing coal based thermal power plants. Coal contains trace metals of which mercury is most toxic for humans and aquatic fauna. The problem of mercury in the society is not new, but in recent years the Indian subcontinent has gained the reputation of being 'a dumping ground for mercury'. This study focuses on mercury in fly ash and its releases to the atmosphere and soils cross the country. The utilisation of coalash in India is also addressed although it is still in its nascent stage. About 10% of produced fly ashes are used in India whereas in Western countries its use is typically over 70%. Regulations from India's Ministry of Environment and Forestry should increase coal fly ash utilisation, although this would require that cost-effective new technology is put to use. As to the release of Hg from ashes disposed of in the environment, the scarce literature suggests that this is negligible or zero, and less problematic than wet or dry deposition of Hg from flue gases. (author)

Coal fired thermal power is the largest contributing power sector in India (about 70%) along with 25 hydel power generation, 3% nuclear power generation and about 1% wind power generation Power on demand by 2012. The role of GIS, GPS and remote sensing in power sector. Published by, CSDMS, IT for geography. The increasing demand of power in a developing country like India has resulted in rapid increase in thermal generation capacity. The coal fired power generation results in huge amounts of fly ash and bottom ash of varying properties. Coal which contains the naturally occurring radionuclides, on burning results in enrichment of these radionuclides in the ashes. In the present study, coal, bottom ash and fly ash samples collected from six coal-fire power plants in India were measured for 210Po using alpha spectrometry and natural U, 226Ra, 232Th and 40K by an HPGeã-ray spectrometer. The results show that fly ash or bottom ash contains two to five times more natural radionuclides than feed coal. The results were compared with the available data from earlier studies in other countries. (author)

Full Text Available Coalash is the residual generated from combustion of coal. The ash fusion temperature (AFT of coal gives detail information on the suitability of a coal source for gasification procedures, and specifically to which extent ash agglomeration or clinkering is likely to occur within the gasifier. To investigate the contribution of oxides in coalash to AFT, data of coalash chemical compositions and Softening Temperature (ST in different regions of China were collected in this work and a BP neural network model was established by XD-APC PLATFORM. In the BP model, the inputs were the ash compositions and the output was the ST. In addition, the ash fusion temperature prediction model was obtained by industrial data and the model was generalized by different industrial data. Compared to empirical formulas, the BP neural network obtained better results. By different tests, the best result and the best configurations for the model were obtained: hidden layer nodes of the BP network was setted as three, the component contents (SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, CaO, MgO were used as inputs and ST was used as output of the model.

Coal fly ash, a waste generated in coal-fired electric power plant, was used to synthesize zeolite by hydrothermal treatment with NaOH solution. The fly ash (CL-2) and this synthesized zeolite (ZM-2) that was characterized as hydroxy-sodalite were used as adsorbents for anionic dyes indigo carmine (IC), and reactive orange 16 (RO16) from aqueous solutions. Effects of contact time, initial dye concentration, pH, adsorbent mass, and temperature were evaluated in the adsorption processes. The kinetics studies indicated that the adsorption followed the pseudo-second order kinetics and that surface adsorption and intraparticle diffusion were involved in the adsorption mechanism. The thermodynamics parameters demonstrated that the adsorption was spontaneous for all adsorption processes. The enthalpy data confirmed the endothermic nature for all adsorption processes except for IC/ZM-2 system which was exothermic. The entropy data showed an increased disorder at the solid/solution interface during the adsorption for all systems except for IC/ZM-2 whose negative entropy value indicated a decreased disorder at the interface. The adsorption isotherms were closely fitted to the Langmuir linear equation. The maximum adsorption capacities were 1.48 mg/g for the IC/CL-2 system; 1.13 mg/g for IC/ZM-2; 0.96 mg/g for RO16/CL-2, and 1.14 mg/g for RO16/ZM-2 at room temperature. The desorption study carried out with water, with acid aqueous solutions, and with an alkali aqueous solution showed to be inefficient both for recovering the dyes and regenerating the adsorbents. (author)

Over 50 million tons of coalash are produced annually in North America. Technological improvements in air pollution control have decreased stack emissions but have also increased contaminant concentrations in the ash of coal-fired boiler applications. The leaching of heavy metals and other elements during regulatory tests may cause coalash to be classified as hazardous waste, complicating land disposal. The hazardous nature of coalash remains unclear because current toxicity tests fail to effectively characterize the elemental distribution and chemical solubility of trace metals in the landfill environment. Leaching characteristics of ash samples can be investigated with various laboratory extraction procedures in association with multi-elemental analytical techniques (e.g., neutron activation analysis and inductively coupled plasma - atomic emission spectroscopy). Such methods provide more thorough analyses of coalash leaching dynamics than the regulatory assessments can demonstrate. Regulatory elements including Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, and Se were shown to remain in largely insoluble forms while elements such as B and S leached at higher levels. Experimental results may assist operators of coal-fired boiler industries in selecting coal types and disposal options to curtail the leaching of potentially toxic inorganic contaminants. (author) 12 refs.; 4 figs.; 3 tabs

Mercury capture by fly ash C was investigated at five lignite- and subbituminous-coal-burning Bulgarian power plants (Republika, Bobov Dol, Maritza East 2, Maritza East 3, and Sliven). Although the C content of the ashes is low, never exceeding 1.6%, the Hg capture on a unit C basis demonstrates that the low-rank-coal-derived fly ash carbons are more efficient in capturing Hg than fly ash carbons from bituminous-fired power plants. While some low-C and low-Hg fly ashes do not reveal any trends of Hg versus C, the 2nd and, in particular, the 3rd electrostatic precipitator (ESP) rows at the Republika power plant do have sufficient fly ash C range and experience flue gas sufficiently cool to capture measurable amounts of Hg. The Republika 3rd ESP row exhibits an increase in Hg with increasing C, as observed in other power plants, for example, in Kentucky power plants burning Appalachian-sourced bituminous coals. Mercury/C decreases with an increase in fly ash C, suggesting that some of the C is isolated from the flue gas stream and does not contribute to Hg capture. Mercury capture increases with an increase in Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area and micropore surface area. The differences in Hg capture between the Bulgarian plants burning low-rank coal and high volatile bituminous-fed Kentucky power plants suggests that the variations in C forms resulting from the combustion of the different ranks also influence the efficiency of Hg capture. ?? 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

Analysis of the Si and Al phases in coal gangue fuel and its ash is important for use of coal gangue ashes. A comprehensive study by theoretical and experimental analyses with differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction and Infrared Spectroscopy has been made in the present article to explore the diagram of the Si and Al phases in coal gangue fuel and its ashes. It is found that kaolinite and quartz are the main phases in coal gangue fuel. The ratio of moles Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} to SiO{sub 2} (i.e., Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (mole) / SiO{sub 2} (mole)) is usually no more than 0.5 in most coal gangue fuel and its ashes. The kaolinite at about 984{sup o}C releases a large quantity of SiO{sub 2}, which makes calcine coal gangue more active than coal gangue itself. The relationship between the ratio Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (mole)/SiO{sub 2} (mole) and the components of coal gangue ash is analyzed, resulting in a formula to calculate the quantity of each phase. Applying the formula to the testing samples from an electric plant in north China supports the above conclusions.

Iron-57 Mössbauer spectroscopic studies were carried out at room temperature on samples of coal, slag (bottom ash) and mechanical ash collected from Bhatinda (India) thermal power plant. Hyperfine parameters such as isomer shift, quadrupole splitting and total internal magnetic field of 57Fe nuclei were used to characterize various iron-bearing minerals. The observed parameters indicate the presence of pyrite, siderite and ankerite in coal sample while magnetic fractions of mechanical ash and slag samples show the formation of hematite and Al-substituted magnesio-ferrite. The non-magnetic fraction of slag ash shows the dominance of Fe2+ phases while that of mechanical ash demonstrates the formation of both Fe2+ and Fe3+ phases. These findings are compared with Mössbauer and magnetic susceptibility studies on fly ash samples of Panipat (India) thermal power plant reported earlier.

The neutron activation techniques of coalash determination are briefly reviewed and a new version of activation analysis using fast neutrons from 239Pu-Be source and basing on the reactions 28Si(n,p)28Al and 27Al(n,p)27Mg is proposed. 72 samples of pit-coals with ash content ranging from 3 to 40% were measured. The linear calibration function between ash content and both, 1.78 MeV and 0.84 MeV, γ-ray counts was obtained. The precision (0.94% ash for 17% ash content) and accuracy (1.4%ash for the whole range) were evaluated. Comparison of the results with those of fluorescent-scattering methods is made. (author)

The radioactivity monitoring in the “Nikola Tesla”, “Kolubara”, “Morava” and “Kostolac” coal-fired power plants was performed by the Radiation and Environmental Protection Laboratory, Vinča Institute of nuclear sciences in the period 2003-2010. Monitoring included the analysis of soil, water, flying ash, slag, coal and plants. This paper presents the results of the radioactivity analysis of coal, ash and slag samples. Naturally occurring radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, 235U, 238U, and ...

The adsorption of methylene blue from aqueous solution was carried out using zeolites synthesized from coalash as low-cost adsorbents. The coalash sample was converted to zeolites by hydrothermal treatment using different synthesis parameters. The materials were characterized by physical-chemical analysis, XRD and SEM studies. The adsorption isotherms can be fitted by Freundlich model. The values of the adsorption capacity of adsorbents were similar for adsorbents. Kinetic studies indicate ...

In this study the effects of inhalatory exposure to coal fly ash on lung pathology and the immune system in rats were examined. Rats were exposed to 0, 10, 30, or 100 mg/m3 coal fly ash (6 h/day, 5 days/wk) for 4 wk, or to 0 and 100 mg/m3 for 1 wk, and for 1 wk followed by a recovery in clean air of

Minerals that are extracted from the earth’s crust to be directly used for their properties are called industrial minerals. This research shows that such minerals can also be produced from industrial residues, hence the name secondary industrial minerals. In this thesis coal fly ash is chosen as one of the industrial residues to work with. Since reuse of coal fly ash is restricted by its technical and environmental quality, the first approach was to improve its quality and thereby extend its ...

The increase interest in measuring radium (226Ra) concentration in coal, fly ash and cement is due to its health hazards and environmental pollution. Samples of coal and fly ash from different thermal power stations in northern India were collected and analysed for radium concentration. Cement samples were collected from National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB), Ballabgarh (Haryana). The radium concentration is estimated through track etch technique using LR-115 CN detectors. (author)

Ash deposition on heat transfer surfaces is still a significant problem in coal-fired power plant utility boilers. The effective ways to deal with this problem are accurate on-line monitoring of ash fouling and soot-blowing. In this paper, an online ash fouling monitoring model based on dynamic mass and energy balance method is developed and key variables analysis technique is introduced to study the internal behavior of soot-blowing system. In this process...

The radiometric method for ash content determination based on beta backscattering has been evaluated from the point of view of quality control and quality assurance in lignite mining and use of lignite. Applying the method, optimum control and distribution to generation of power, briquetting or coal transformation depending on ash content is possible

The presence of large amounts of alkali metals, chlorine and sulphur in most biomass fuels - compared to coal - can create serious ash-related problems such as deposition, agglomeration and/or corrosion. This paper discusses the viscosity characteristics of fly ash from the co-combustion of vario...... viscosity leading to higher stickiness of the ash particles. Wood co-firing has only minor effects, due to the composition of wood ash and the low percentage of wood in the coal/biomass blend.......The presence of large amounts of alkali metals, chlorine and sulphur in most biomass fuels - compared to coal - can create serious ash-related problems such as deposition, agglomeration and/or corrosion. This paper discusses the viscosity characteristics of fly ash from the co-combustion of various...... coal/biomass blends in a pilot scale pf-boiler. The produced data provide information on the melting of the ash and its flow characteristics, as a function of temperature, which may be used to modify the temperature profile of the boiler in order to avoid slagging. Straw co-firing lowers the ash...

The physicochemical properties of fly ash from two kinds of coal-fired power plants were studied.Three aspects were examined:the micro-morphology,the mineral composition and the content of heavy met als.The results show that the fly ash from plants using a circulating fluidized bed are more irregular particles,while the particles from the plants using a pulverized coal-fired boiler are mainly spherical in shape.Quartz and mullite are the main crystalline phases in the ash.Clearly,both the technology and the coal used by a power plant can influence the mineral composition of the ash.The mineral composition of fly ash from a circulating fluidized bed is more complex than that from a pulverized coal-fired boiler.The quantity of elements found in the fly ash is greater than that found in the bottom ash for the same plant.Heavy metals are likely to be enriched in the fly ash.Heavy metal leachability was studied using two leaching methods.The results indicate that most of the heavy metals that leached during either batch leaching or column leaching experiments did not exceed the related maximum concentration standards.But Ni concentrations in the leachates from both batch and column tests exceed the standard.The highest excess rates in both tests were 572％ and 497％,which levels might threaten the environment.

Coalash fusion temperature is important to boiler designers and operators of power plants. Fusion temperature is determined by the chemical composition of coalash, however, their relationships are not precisely known. A novel neural network, ACO-BP neural network, is used to model coalash fusion temperature based on its chemical composition. Ant colony optimization (ACO) is an ecological system algorithm, which draws its inspiration from the foraging behavior of real ants. A three-layer network is designed with 10 hidden nodes. The oxide contents consist of the inputs of the network and the fusion temperature is the output. Data on 80 typical Chinese coalash samples were used for training and testing. Results show that ACO-BP neural network can obtain better performance compared with empirical formulas and BP neural network. The well-trained neural network can be used as a useful tool to predict coalash fusion temperature according to the oxide contents of the coalash

Sludge from treatment water Brazilian plant station are, frequently, disposed and launched directly in the water bodies, causing a negative impact in the environment. Also, coalashes is produced by burning of coal in coal-fired power stations and is the industrial solid waste most generated in southern Brazil: approximately 4 million tons/y. The efficient disposal of coalashes is an issue due to its massive volume and harmful risks to the environment. The aim of this work was study the feasibility of incorporating these two industrial wastes in a mass used in the manufacture of ecological bricks. Samples of fly ashes from a cyclone filter from a coal-fired power plant located at Figueira County in Parana State, Brazil and waterworks sludge of Terra Preta County in Sao Paulo State, Brazil, were used in the study. Fly ash-sludge and fly ash-sludge-soil-cement bricks were molded and tested, according to the Brazilians Standards. The materials were characterized by physical-chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, morphological analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and granulometric analysis. The results indicate that the waterworks sludge and coalashes have potential to be used on manufacturing soil-cement pressed bricks according to the of Brazilians Standards NBR 10836/94. (author)

Between 1955 and 1989, coalash was deposited within an impounded watershed on the Oak Ridge Reservation, creating the 3.6 ha-Filled CoalAsh Pond (FCAP). The site has subsequently become vegetated, providing habitat for wildlife. To evaluate the risks that metals in the ash may pose to wildlife, ash, surface water, small mammal, and vegetation samples were collected and metal residues were determined. Metal concentrations, As and Se in particular, were elevated in ash, surface water, plant foliage, and small mammals relative to reference materials. Estimates of metal exposures received from food, water, and ash consumption were calculated for short-tailed shrews, white-footed mice, white-tailed deer, red fox, and red-tailed hawks. While shrews and mice were assumed to reside exclusively at and receive 100% exposure from the site, exposure experienced by deer, fox, and hawks was assumed to be proportional to the size of the site relative to their home range. Because deer had been observed to consume ash presumably for it's high sodium content, exposure experienced by deer consuming ash to meet sodium requirements was also estimated. To assess the risk of coalash to wildlife, exposure estimates were compared to body-size adjusted toxicity data for each metal. These comparisons suggest that metals at the site may be detrimental to reproduction and survivorship of mice, shrews, deer and fox; hawks do not appear to be at risk

The feasibility of using ultrasound to enhance the performance of de-sulphurization and de-ashing during slime flotation was investigated. The Setaram C80 calorimeter, the contact angle gauge DCAT21 and an electrophoresis apparatus were used to study the surface nature of coal, pyrite and refuse before and after ultrasonic conditioning. The yield, ash and sulfur contents of equally sized coal slimes were also measured before and after ultrasonic conditioning. The results show that ultrasonic conditioning can drive the separation of pyrite and refuse from coal. After ultrasonic conditioning the hydrophobicity of coal and hydrophilicity of pyrite and refuse increase. The perfect index of flotation, the perfect index of de-sulphurization and the percentage of de-sulphurization increase by 22.51%, 25.36% and 2.49%, respectively. This study shows that ultrasonic conditioning can enhance the performance of de-sulphurization and de-ashing of coal flotation methods.

At present, coal is mainly consumed as fuel. In fact, coal is also a kind of precious raw material in chemical industry on the premise that some harmful minerals should be removed from coal. The paper presents the results of the research on producing low ash (<2%) coal with triboelectrostatic separator used for producing high-grade active carbon. The test is conducted in bench-scale system, whose capacity is 30～100 kg/h. The results indicate that: 1) the ash content of clean coal increases with the increase of solid content of feedstock, on the contrary, the yield of clean coal is declining; 2) a high velocity may result in a good separation efficiency; 3) for the same solid content, the reunion caused by intermolecular force makes the separation efficiency drop down when the ultra-fine coal is separated; 4) the separation efficiency is improved with the increase of electric field intensity, but there is a good optimized match between the electric field intensity and yield of clean coal; 5) a low rank coal is easy-to-wash in triboelectrostatic separation process; 6) the yield of clean coal can be enhanced and the ash decreased through adapting optimized conditions according to various coals.

This report is about full-scale probe measurements of deposit build-up and removal conducted at the Avedøreværket Unit 2, a 800 MWth suspension boiler, firing wood and natural gas with the addition of coalash. Coalash was used as an additive to capture potassium (K) from wood-firing....... Investigations of deposit formation rate were made by use of an advanced online ash deposition/shedding probe. Quantification of ash deposition and shedding was made via deposit mass uptake signals obtained from the deposit probe. The influence of coalash, flue gas temperature, probe surface temperature...... oC), deposit removal through surface melting was not identified. SEM-EDS analysis of the deposits showed significant presence of Ca, Al and Si, indicating that a significant amount of K has been captured by coalash to form deposits rich in calcium-aluminum-silicates, and possible release of Cl...

Although gasification of high ash Indian coals is gaining importance, the resultant uncertainties associated with agglomerate formation are still unresolved. To address this, a suitable pilot scale Fluidized Bed Gasifier was utilized in this study. Stabilized operating conditions in terms of coal feed rate, air feed rate, bed temperature, etc., already identified for maximum possible carbon conversion, were maintained in all experiments and the steam flow rate was only varied. Though the ash fusion temperature of the coals were above 1200 °C, agglomerate was formed during gasification at 950 °C with ‘steam to coal ratio’ less than 0.15 (kg/kg). On increasing this ratio above 0.2 local heat-concentration and agglomeration could be avoided with certainty. Chemical composition alone was not sufficient to explain the relative strength of ash-agglomerates. Compositional variation and state of iron within the matrix were assessed through SEM-EDX and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) study, respectively. The probing also required the ash-loading and iron-loading factors to be freshly defined in the context of gasification. Localized heat, large compositional variation, presence of iron in Fe2+ state, ash-loading/iron-loading factors influenced intensity of agglomerate formation. Finally, low temperature agglomerate formation was explained by SiO2–Al2O3–FeO phase diagram. - Highlights: • Pilot plant studies on agglomerate formation during high ashcoal gasification. • AFT, chemical analysis of coalash could not give proper indication. • Ash-/iron-loading factors, compositional variation, Fe2+ leads to agglomeration. • Steam to coal ratio was controlled judiciously to avoid agglomeration. • Cause for agglomeration investigated in depth and remedial adjustment was focused

The largest environmental release of coalash in U.S. history occurred in December 2008 with the failure of a retention structure at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Kingston Fossil Plant in East Tennessee. A byproduct of coal-burning power plants, coalash is enriched in metals and metalloids such as selenium and arsenic with known toxicity to fish including embryonic and larval stages. The effects of contact exposure to sediments containing up to 78 % coalash from the Kingston spill on the early development of fish embryos and larvae were examined in 7-day laboratory tests with the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). No significant effects were observed on hatching success, incidences of gross developmental abnormalities, or embryo-larval survival. Results suggest that direct exposures to sediment containing residual coalash from the Kingston ash release may not present significant risks to fish eggs and larvae in waterways affected by the spill.

This work presents a study of natural radioactivity levels in coal and its combustion residues (fly ash and slag) used in the houses in Black Sea Region, Turkey. Coal, fly ash and slag samples were provided from different locations of the region and analyzed by gamma spectroscopy using a high-purity germanium detector (HPGe). Also, chemical analyses of these samples were carried out using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. The mean 226Ra activity concentrations in coal, slag and fly ash were measured as 83, 99 and 38 Bq kg-1, respectively. The mean 232Th activity concentrations in coal, slag and fly ash were measured as 108, 113 and 50 Bq kg-1, respectively. The mean 40K activity concentrations in coal, slag and fly ash were found to be 366, 381 and 204 Bq kg-1, respectively. The potential radiological hazards associated to these materials were evaluated by calculating the radium equivalent activity (Raeq), the air absorbed gamma dose rate (D), the annual effective dose rate (AED), the external hazard index (Hex) and internal hazard index (Hin) and compared with the internationally accepted or reference values. The mean Raeq values of the coal, fly ash and slag samples were lower than the recommended maximum values 370 Bq kg-1 by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The overall mean outdoor terrestrial gamma air absorbed dose rate in coal, fly ash and slag samples are 119, 129 and 62 nGy h-1 and the corresponding outdoor annual effective doses are 0.60, 0.32 and 0.64 mSv y-1, which is higher than the worldwide average (0.07 mSv y-1), respectively. Moreover, the enrichment factors relative to the input coal are calculated for the radionuclide contents observed. Calculated enrichment factor values for 226Ra and 232Th were found 1.14 and 1.01, respectively. (orig.)

In the present investigation, 37 numbers of high sulphur tertiary coal samples from Meghalaya, India have been studied on the basis of proximate and ash analysis. Various statistical tools like Bivariant Analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Clustering Analysis (HCA), and also the geochemical indicators were applied to determine the dominant detrital or authigenic affinity of the ash forming elements in these coals. The genetic interpretation of coal as well as the coalash has been carried out based on chemical compositions of high temperature ash (HTA) by using Detrital/Authigenic Index. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis was also carried out to study the mineralogy of the studied coalashes. Both statistical tools and geochemical indicators have confirmed the detrital nature of these coals as well as the ash forming elements.

In the present investigation, 37 numbers of high sulphur tertiary coal samples from Meghalaya, India have been studied on the basis of proximate and ash analysis. Various statistical tools like Bivariant Analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Clustering Analysis (HCA), and also the geochemical indicators were applied to determine the dominant detrital or authigenic affinity of the ash forming elements in these coals. The genetic interpretation of coal as well as the coalash has been carried out based on chemical compositions of high temperature ash (HTA) by using Detrital/Authigenic Index. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis was also carried out to study the mineralogy of the studied coalashes. Both statistical tools and geochemical indicators have confirmed the detrital nature of these coals as well as the ash forming elements.

Full Text Available This paper takes the coal fly ash as the material and makes zeolite with low thermal conductivity under a two-step synthesis for the purpose of thermal insulation. It studies main factors affecting zeolite such as the different concentration of NaOH, the solid-liquid ratio, the silica-alumina ratio, and the crystallization temperature. The optimal conditions were obtained that the NaOH concentration was 3 mol/L, the solid-liquid ratio was 10 : 1, the silica-alumina ratio was 2, and the crystallization temperature was 12°C. Zeolites have multiple pores and skeletal structures under SEM observation. The mean particle size was 2.78 um of concentrated distribution. The pore volume was 0.148 m3/g measured by BET analysis, the specific surface was 118.6 m2/g, and the thermal conductivity was 0.153 W/(m·K. Zeolite was proved to be a qualified insulation material which can be used in thermal insulation coating as a new material of energy conservation.

This study focuses on the synthesis of merlinoite from Chinese coal fly ashes by KOH direct conversion method, with special emphasis on the application of synthetic merlinoite as fertilizer. These fly ashes were collected from two pulverized-coal combustion (PCC) power plants in Xinjiang, Northwest China. The synthesis results are influenced by fly ash characteristics and different synthesis conditions (KOH solution concentrations, activation temperature, time, and KOH/fly ash ratios). A high...

Present study was conducted for the purpose of producing low ashcoal from LRC (low rank coals) such as lignite and sub-bituminous coal through thermal extraction using polar solvent. Extraction from bituminous coal was also investigated for comparison. NMP as a polar solvent was used. The ratio of coal to solvent was adjusted as 1:10. Experimental conditions were established which include the extraction temperature of 200-430{sup o}C, initial applied pressure of 1-20 bar and extraction time of 0.5-2 hr were used. Extraction yield and ash content of extracted and residual coal were measured. The extraction yield increased with the increase of extraction temperature, and the ash content of extracted coal decreased below 0.4% at 400{sup o}C from the raw coal samples that have the ash contents of 4-6%. According to the analysis of experiments results, fixed carbon and calorific value increased, and H/C and O/C decreased.

Utilization of rice husk as an alternative fuel for coal is of interest due to its availability in huge quantities in Pakistan and also because its combustion is environmental pollution friendly as it generates much less SOX due to its much lower sulphur content (0.1-0.3%) compared to sulphur content in coals, particularly indeginous coals ranging from 0.6-14.8%. The purpose of present study was to examine the impact of co-firing of rice husk and coal on the quality of cement clinker so as to substitute expensive imported coal with the abundantly available cheaper rice husk to reduce the cost of production of the cement. For this investigation raw feed mix (mixture of limestone, clay, bauxite and laterite in predetermined proportions) used for cement manufacture was mixed with predetermined varying proportions of coalash and rice husk ash and placed inside a muffle furnace at 1200 degree C - 1500 degree C i-e the temperatures prevailing in the industrial cement kilns, for various periods of time to obtain cement clinker. The quality and chemistry of cement clinker thus produced in the laboratory was experimentally studied to ensure the quality of cement clinker that would be obtained by co-firing of rice husk and coal in different proportions in industrial cement kilns as the coalash and rice husk ash produced during combustion will get mixed with cement clinker in industrial kilns. The results indicated that there was decrease in the Lime Saturation Factor, Free Lime and Tricalcium Silicate (C3S) content and increase in the Dicalcium Silicate (C2S) content by increasing the rice husk ash and decreasing the coalash proportion in the clinker. (author)

The properties of the ash from co-firing of coal and straw have a large influence on boiler operation, flue gas cleaning equipment and appropriate utilization of the fly ash. A study on the fuel composition and local conditions influence on fly ash properties has been done by making entrained flow...... reactor experiments with co-firing of coal and straw, making mineral and alkali vapor laboratory reactor experiments and by developing a model of KCl reaction with kaolin. The results include correlations that can be used to estimate the speciation of potassium in the fly ash when co-firing straw and...... bituminous coal. The laboratory experiments indicated which mineral types and local conditions that provide the most efficient binding of potassium to species with a high melting point, and where a simultaneous release of chlorine as gaseous HCl takes place....

The paper describes a method for determination of ash content in coal, based on the forward-scattering phenomenon of low-energy gamma radiation. The paper evaluates the effect of measuring geometry, granulation, mass, sample packing and chemical constitution of coal on the accuracy of measured ash content in coal. There is given a new manner to calculate ash content that uses some parameters of the forward-scattered gamma radiation spectrum. (author)

Full Text Available This paper investigates the largest flood of coalash in United States history as an event at once monumental and insignificant. It traces affective forces generative of both the ash, and its invisibility. In the moment of rupture, the ash flowed out of a large holding pond in a spill of layered sediments – each layer of particulate a temporary resting place for a forceful trajectory of matter spurned into motion elsewhere in space and time. This paper takes up the atemporal matter of this coalash flood to ask: out of what movements and connections was the ash formed? How did this particular landscape change to accommodate its accumulation? What trajectories flowed into the pond, and what hidden memories sat buried in its mass? Drawing on ethnographic and archival research, this paper weaves together juxtaposed scenes that form (some of the backstory of this event, and invites a reconsideration of the practices of knowledge that helped condition it.

The rapidly increasing demand for energy in China leads to the construction of new power plants all over the country. Coal, as the main fuel resource of those power plants, results in increasing problems with the disposal of solid residues from combustion and off gas cleaning. This investigation describes chances for the utilization of fly ash from coal-fired power plants in China. After briefly comparing the situation in China and Germany, the status of aluminum recycling from fly ash and the advantages for using fly ash in concrete products are introduced. Chemical and physical analyses of Chinese fly ash samples, e.g., X-ray diffraction (XRD), ICP (Inductive Coupled Plasma) and particle size analysis, water requirement, etc. are presented. Reasonable amounts of aluminum were detected in the samples under investigation, but for recovery only sophisticated procedures are available up to now. Therefore, simpler techniques are suggested for the first steps in the utilization of Chinese fly ash.

Assessment of the potential environmental impact of heavy metals (HM) mobilized by coal-fired plants showed that water leaching of HM from pulverized fuel ash may for certain HM constitute an important pathway to the aquatic environment. This process was therefore investigated in more detail by laboratory experiments. Batch experiments were performed in order to simulate ash pond conditions, whereas column experiments were carried out to represent water leaching from fly ash deposits. Using highly sensitive radiochemical techniques such as radioactive tracers and neutron activation of fly ash the fate of a single HM could be easily followed even in very low concentration experiments. Employing radioisotopic tracers the distribution coefficients of simple ionic forms of As, Sb, Bi, Se, Te, Cr, Mo, W, Ni, Cd in a coal fly ash/water system could be determined as a function of pH. Results obtained on the absorption and desorption behaviour of HM on coal fly ash can be explained in part on the basis of the surface predominance and the aqueous chemistry of single ionic, mainly anionic, forms of the relative elements. But ion exchange and coprecipitation phenomena also seem to be important processes. The nature and concentration of ions contained originally in the water used (distilled water, fly ash leachate and seawater) were found to have a strong influence on the sorptive behaviour of HM on coalashes. The high degree of applicability of radiochemical and nuclear techniques to coalash water leaching problems has been demonstrated and further points for subsequent research in this field possibly using nuclear techniques are indicated. (author)

Environmental and human health risk assessments of nanoparticle effects from coal and bottom ash require thorough characterisation of nanoparticles and their aggregates. In this manuscript, we expand the study of human exposure to nanosized particles from coal combustion sources (typically pyrrhotite formation. The presence of iron oxide nanocrystals mixed with silicate glass particles emphasises the complexity of coal and bottom ash micromineralogy. Given the potentially bioreactive nature of such transition metal-bearing materials, there is likely to be an increased health risk associated with their inhalation. PMID:20422282

The increasing CO2 concentration in the Earth's atmosphere, mainly caused by fossil fuel combustion, has led to concerns about global warming. A technology that could possibly contribute to reducing carbon dioxide emissions is the in-situ mineral sequestration (long term geological storage) or the ex-situ mineral sequestration (controlled industrial reactors) of CO2. In the present study, we propose to use coal combustion fly-ash, an industrial waste that contains about 4.1 wt.% of lime (CaO), to sequester carbon dioxide by aqueous carbonation. The carbonation reaction was carried out in two successive chemical reactions, first, the irreversible hydration of lime. CaO + H2O → Ca(OH)2 second, the spontaneous carbonation of calcium hydroxide suspension. Ca(OH)2 + CO2 → CaCO3 + H2O A significant CaO-CaCO3 chemical transformation (approximately 82% of carbonation efficiency) was estimated by pressure-mass balance after 2 h of reaction at 30 deg. C. In addition, the qualitative comparison of X-ray diffraction spectra for reactants and products revealed a complete CaO-CaCO3 conversion. The carbonation efficiency of CaO was independent on the initial pressure of CO2 (10, 20, 30 and 40 bar) and it was not significantly affected by reaction temperature (room temperature '20-25', 30 and 60 deg. C) and by fly-ash dose (50, 100, 150 g). The kinetic data demonstrated that the initial rate of CO2 transfer was enhanced by carbonation process for our experiments. The precipitate calcium carbonate was characterized by isolated micrometric particles and micrometric agglomerates of calcite (SEM observations). Finally, the geochemical modelling using PHREEQC software indicated that the final solutions (i.e. after reaction) are supersaturated with respect to calcium carbonate (0.7 ≤ saturation index ≤ 1.1). This experimental study demonstrates that 1 ton of fly-ash could sequester up to 26 kg of CO2, i.e. 38.18 ton of fly-ash per ton of CO2 sequestered. This confirms the

The authors report the methods and results of survey on content of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in samples of coal, ash from 5 coal-fired power plants in Beijing and ash bricks, air-added concrete from Beijing air-added concrete plant from February to December, 1993. 55 coal Samples, 26 ash Samples, 8 ash brick samples and 8 air-added concrete samples were collected. These samples were analysed by type FH-1936 low background γ-spectrometer. The average value of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K of coal is 28.9, 35.9 and 80.4 Bq/kg, respectively; 101, 110 and 347 Bq/kg, for ash; 47.6, 72.9 and 288 Bq/kg, for ash brick and 47.8, 70.1 and 216 Bq/kg for air-added concrete, respectively. In addition, γ radiation dose rate inside buildings of workers, dwelling houses of the Beijing air-added concrete plant made of ash building materials were investigated and analysed. The range and the average value of 8 measurement values is (67.4-84.7) nGy/h and 78.2 nGy/h, respectively. It approaches to the average value inside bungalow of bricks and a building of two or more storeys made of bricks and concrete in Beijing and within normal range. The results show that it might not cause obviously increase of γ radiation dose rate inside building when the ash were rationally used as the raw materials of building

In this study, we examined the heterogeneous reduction of Hg(II) on the coal fly ash samples and synthetic aerosols under different light conditions in a controlled laboratory reactor. Three types of coal fly ashes were studied: a high carbon fly ash from a stoker boiler, a low carbon/low sulfate fly ash from a pulverized coal combustor burning low sulfur coal, and a high sulfate fly ash from a pulverized coal combustor burning high sulfur coal. The rate of Hg(II) reduction on the three diverse fly ash samples was found to be relatively fast with an average half-life of 1.6 h under clear sky atmospheric conditions (under the irradiance of 1000 W/m2). The reduction rate in the low sulfate/low carbon fly ash was approximately 1.5 times faster than with the other coal fly ash samples. Synthetic aerosols made of carbon black and levoglucosan produced Hg(II) reduction rates similar to coal fly ashes. However, aerosols composed of adipic acid resulted in reduction rates that were 3-5 times faster. The sensitivity of adipic acid reduction to light source wavelength was found to be greater than for the coal fly ash and other synthetic aerosols. Aerosols made from the water extracts of coal fly ash samples produced reduction rates equal to or slightly higher than with the native fly ash suggesting that the soluble components of fly ash play a significant role in the reduction mechanism. The measured reduction rates are likely important in the chemical processing of mercury in power plant plumes and potentially in the atmosphere and should be considered for incorporation in atmospheric transport models that are used to understand the fate of atmospheric mercury.

The control of mercury in the air emissions from coal-fired power plants is an on-going challenge. The native unburned carbons in fly ash can capture varying amounts of Hg depending upon the temperature and composition of the flue gas at the air pollution control device, with Hg capture increasing with a decrease in temperature; the amount of carbon in the fly ash, with Hg capture increasing with an increase in carbon; and the form of the carbon and the consequent surface area of the carbon, with Hg capture increasing with an increase in surface area. The latter is influenced by the rank of the feed coal, with carbons derived from the combustion of low-rank coals having a greater surface area than carbons from bituminous- and anthracite-rank coals. The chemistry of the feed coal and the resulting composition of the flue gas enhances Hg capture by fly ash carbons. This is particularly evident in the correlation of feed coal Cl content to Hg oxidation to HgCl2, enhancing Hg capture. Acid gases, including HCl and H2SO4 and the combination of HCl and NO2, in the flue gas can enhance the oxidation of Hg. In this presentation, we discuss the transport of Hg through the boiler and pollution control systems, the mechanisms of Hg oxidation, and the parameters controlling Hg capture by coal-derived fly ash carbons. PMID:24223466

Coal derived nano-particles has been received much concern recently around the world for their adverse effects on human health and the environment during their utilization. In this investigation the mineral matter present in some industrially important Indian coals and their ash samples are addressed. Coal and fly ash samples from the coal-based captive power plant in Meghalaya (India) were collected for different characterization and nano-mineralogy studies. An integrated application of adva...

The formation of deposits during suspension-firing of wood at Avedøre Power Plant unit 2 (AVV2) was studied by using an advanced deposit probe system. The tests were conducted both with and without coalash addition, and at two different locations with flue gas temperatures of 1250-1300 oC and 750...... along with the fly ash and bottom ash from the plant were characterized extensively by SEM-EDS, ICP-OES/IC and XRD. Based on the results from the present work, the deposit formation and shedding mechanisms under different operational conditions were proposed and discussed. The influence of coalash...... addition on deposit formation during wood suspension-firing at AVV2 was evaluated. It was revealed that the addition of coal fly ash could significantly influence the ash deposition/shedding behaviors and the deposit properties. The effect was evident at both measurement locations. At the location...

Full Text Available Zeolitic material was synthesized from coal fly ashes (baghouse filter fly ash and cyclone filter fly ash by hydrothermal alkaline activation. The potential application of the zeolitic product for decontamination of waters from acid mine drainage was evaluated. The results showed that a dose of 30 g L-1 of zeolitic material allowed the water to reach acceptable quality levels after treatment. Both precipitation and cation-exchange processes accounted for the reduction in the pollutant concentration in the treated waters.

Feed coal and y ash samples were collected at Republika and Bobov Dol thermoelectric power plants (TPPs). The y ashes (FAs) were collected fromthree rows of the hot-side electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) array. Each sam- ple was wet-screened at 100, 200, 325 and 500 mesh. The coals and y ashes were characterized with regard to their petrological and chemical composition (including mercury content) and to their surface area properties. The calculated enrichment factor (EF) shows that the Hg concentrations in the bulk coal samples from Republika and Bobov Dol TPPs are 2.19 and 1.41, respectively. In some coal size fractions the EF can be up to 4 times higher than the Clarke value. The calculated EF for fly ashes shows that the Hg concentrations in the bulk samples studied are lower (between 0.03 and 0.32) than the Clarke value. The most enriched in Hg are the fly ashes from the 3rd ESP row of Republika TPP. The Hg distribution in bulk FAs taken from dierent rows of the electrostatic precipitators of both TPPs studied shows well established tendency of gradual increase in the Hg content from the 1st to the 2nd and 3rd ESP rows. The correlation between Hg content and surface area, mesopore and micropore volume of y ashes was also done in the present investigation.

There are between 2 to 3.5 million underground storage tanks located throughout the nation. Most of these tanks, which store oils and gasolines, are leaking making them one of the primary sources of soil contamination. Adding coalash or cement to contaminated soil has been used to obtain stationary and inert wastecrete. By using this procedure, stabilization (limiting the solubility and mobility of the contaminants) and solidification (producing a solid waste block) of contaminated soils are successfully achieved. This paper investigates another re-use option of coalash and contaminated soils. An experimental study evaluating the effectiveness of using coalash with oil contaminated sand in concrete production is presented. A control mix made of clean sand was designed to yield 500 psi of compressive strength. Sand, artificially contaminated with 3% by weight of motor oil, was used as clean sand replacement. Six concrete mixtures were tested in compression and flexure. The six mixtures were obtained by increasing the ratio of contaminated sand to clean sand, namely; 10%, 20% and 40% and by introducing coalash to the concrete mixture, namely; 20% of the cement weight. The test results indicate that the inclusion of oil contaminated sand in concrete reduces the compressive and flexural strengths. However, this decrease in strength is compensated by introducing coalash in the mixture. Regaining that strength offers the possibility of using such concrete as a construction material in special structural applications. More research is required to establish better understanding of that composite and suggest feasible applications

The nano-mineralogy, petrology, and chemistry of coal gasification products have not been studied as extensively as the products of the more widely used pulverized-coal combustion. The solid residues from the gasification of a low- to medium-sulfur, inertinite-rich, volatile A bituminous coal, and a high sulfur, vitrinite-rich, volatile C bituminous coal were investigated. Multifaceted chemical characterization by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, petrology, FE-SEM/EDS, and HR-TEM/SEAD/FFT/EDS provided an in-depth understanding of coal gasification ash-forming processes. The petrology of the residues generally reflected the rank and maceral composition of the feed coals, with the higher rank, high-inertinite coal having anisotropic carbons and inertinite in the residue, and the lower rank coal-derived residue containing isotropic carbons. The feed coal chemistry determines the mineralogy of the non-glass, non-carbon portions of the residues, with the proportions of CaCO{sub 3} versus Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} determining the tendency towards the neoformation of anorthite versus mullite, respectively. Electron beam studies showed the presence of a number of potentially hazardous elements in nanoparticles. Some of the neoformed ultra-fine/nano-minerals found in the coalashes are the same as those commonly associated with oxidation/transformation of sulfides and sulfates. - Highlights: • Coal waste geochemisty can provide increased environmental information in coal-mining areas. • Oxidation is the major process for mineral transformation in coalashes. • The electron bean methodology has been applied to investigate neoformed minerals.

The results of the determination of uranium in Mongolian brown coal, coalash, phosphate rock, and technological samples by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry are presented. Technological samples were produced from phosphates by chemical treatment. Powder geological samples and Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) were pressed as tablets. For chosen conditions of the sample preparation procedure analytical figures of merit were carefully studied, as exemplified by the rock and uranium ore ...

Coal storage piles, their associated coal pile runoff basins and ash basins could potentially have adverse environmental impacts, especially on groundwater. This report presents and summarizes SRS groundwater and soil data that have been compiled. Also, a result of research conducted on the subject topics, discussions from noted experts in the field are cited. Recommendations are made for additional monitor wells to be installed and site assessments to be conducted.

Coal combustion residuals (CCRs), the largest industrial waste in the United States, are mainly stored in surface impoundments and landfills. Here, we examine the geochemistry of seeps and surface water from seven sites and shallow groundwater from 15 sites in five states (Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Virginia, and North Carolina) to evaluate possible leaking from coalash ponds. The assessment for groundwater impacts at the 14 sites in North Carolina was based on state-archived monitoring well data. Boron and strontium exceeded background values of 100 and 150 μg/L, respectively, at all sites, and the high concentrations were associated with low δ(11)B (-9‰ to +8‰) and radiogenic (87)Sr/(86)Sr (0.7070 to 0.7120) isotopic fingerprints that are characteristic of coalash at all but one site. Concentrations of CCR contaminants, including SO4, Ca, Mn, Fe, Se, As, Mo, and V above background levels, were also identified at all sites, but contamination levels above drinking water and ecological standards were observed in 10 out of 24 samples of impacted surface water. Out of 165 monitoring wells, 65 were impacted with high B levels and 49 had high CCR-contaminant levels. Distinct isotope fingerprints, combined with elevated levels of CCR tracers, provide strong evidence for the leaking of coalash ponds to adjacent surface water and shallow groundwater. Given the large number of coalash impoundments throughout the United States, the systematic evidence for leaking of coalash ponds shown in this study highlights potential environmental risks from unlined coalash ponds. PMID:27286270

Fly ash is a by-product of coal-fired electricity generation plants. The prevalent practice of disposal is as slurry of ash and water to open lands or ash ponds located near power plants and this has lain to waste thousands of hectares all over the world. Wind and leaching are often the causes of off-site contamination from fly ash dumpsites. Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides) grown on fly ash for three months showed massive, mesh-like growth of roots which could have a phytostabilizing effect. The plant achieved this without any damage to its nuclear DNA as shown by comet assay done on the root nuclei, which implies the long-term survival of the plant on the remediation site. Also, when Vetiver is used for phytoremediation of coal fly ash, its shoots can be safely grazed by animals as very little of heavy metals in fly ash were found to be translocated to the shoots. These features make planting of Vetiver a practical and environmentally compatible method for restoration of fly ash dumpsites. Lack of DNA damage in Vetiver has been compared to that in a sensitive plant i.e. Allium cepa. Our results suggested that apart from traditional end-points viz. growth parameters like root length, shoot length and dry weight, comet assay could also be included in a battery of tests for initial, rapid and effective selection of plants for restoration and phytoremediation of polluted sites. PMID:21598787

On December 22, 2008 a dike containing coal fly ash from the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil Plant near Kingston Tennessee USA failed and resulted in the largest coalash spill in U.S. history. Coalash, the by-product of coal combustion, is known to contain multiple contaminants of concern, including arsenic and selenium. The purpose of this study was to investigate the bioaccumulation of arsenic and selenium and to identify possible differences in trophic dynamics in feral fish at various sites in the vicinity of the Kingston coalash spill. Elevated levels of arsenic and selenium were observed in various tissues of largemouth bass, white crappie, bluegill and redear sunfish from sites associated with the Kingston coalash spill. Highest concentrations of selenium were found in redear sunfish with liver concentrations as high as 24.83 mg/kg dry weight and ovary concentrations up to 10.40 mg/kg dry weight at coalash-associated sites. To help explain the elevated selenium levels observed in redear sunfish, investigations into the gut pH and trophic dynamics of redear sunfish and bluegill were conducted which demonstrated a large difference in the gut physiology between these two species. Redear sunfish stomach and intestinal pH was found to be 1.1 and 0.16 pH units higher than in bluegill, respectively. In addition, fish from coalash-associated sites showed enrichment of 15N & 13C compared to no ash sites, indicating differences in food web dynamics between sites. These results imply the incorporation of coalash-associated compounds into local food webs and/or a shift in diet at ash sites compared to the no ash reference sites. Based on these results, further investigation into a broader food web at ash-associated sites is warranted.

The objective of this research is to characterize the interactions of coal fly ash with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives, and to understand the influence of the surface properties of coalash (and other atmospheric particles) on the chemical transformations of polycyclic aromatic compounds. Studies to be carried out in this project include: (1) Fractionation of heterogeneous coal fly ash samples into different particle types varying in size and chemical composition (carbonaceous, mineral-magnetic, and mineral nonmagnetic); (2) Measurement of the rates of chemical transformation of PAHs and PAH derivatives (especially nitro-PAHs) and the manner in which the rates of such processes are influenced by the chemical and physical properties of coal fly ash particles; (3) Chromatographic and spectroscopic studies of the nature of the interactions of coal fly ash particles with PAHs and PAH derivatives; (4) Characterization of the fractal nature of fly ash particles (via surface area measurements) and the relationships of ``surface roughness`` of fly ash particles to the chemical behavior of PAHs sorbed on coalash particles; (5) Identification of the major products of chemical transformation of PAHs on coalash particles, and examination of any effects that may exist of the nature of the coalash surface on the identities of PAH transformation products; and (6) Studies of the influence of other sorbed species on the chemical behavior of PAHs and PAH derivatives on fly ash surfaces. PAHs are deposited, under controlled laboratory conditions, onto coalash surfaces from the vapor phase, in order to mimic the processes by which PAHs are deposited onto particulate matter in the atmosphere.

The surface chemical characteristics of coal fly ash (CFA) before and after interaction with Mediterranean deep seawater was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Significantly lower values of Si, Ca, and S and higher values of Mg and Cl were found in the retrieved CFA as compared to fresh CFA. It is suggested that hydrolysis of the oxide matrixes results in an alkaline environment which rapidly leads to several chemical reactions. The two most important are (a) dissolution of the amorphous silicate and the calcium phases and (b) precipitation of Mg(OH)2-brucite. A depth profile of the retrieved CFA was measured by both line-shape analysis of the XPS spectra and by consecutive cycle of sputtering. The thickness of the brucite layer is estimated to be 1.3 nm

Coal is a crucial feedstock for South Africa's unique synfuels and petrochemicals industry and used by Sasol as a feedstock to produce synthesis gas via the Sasol-Lurgi Fixed Bed Dry Bottom (FBDB) gasification process. The ash fusion temperature (AFT) gives detail information on the suitability of a coal source for gasification purposes, and specifically to the extent ash agglomeration or clinkering is likely to occur within the gasifier. Ash clinkering inside the gasifier can cause channel b...

Coal fly ash (CFA), a by-product of coal combustion has been regarded as a problematic solid waste, mainly due to its potentially toxic trace elements, PTEs (e.g. Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb) and organic compounds (e.g. PCBs, PAHs) content. However, CFA is a useful source of essential plant nutrients (e.g. Ca, Mg, K, P, S, B, Fe, Cu and Zn). Uncontrolled land disposal of CFA is likely to cause undesirable changes in soil conditions, including contamination with PTEs, PAHs and PCBs. Prudent CFA land application offers considerable opportunities, particularly for nutrient supplementation, pH correction and ameliorating soil physical conditions (soil compaction, water retention and drainage). Since CFA contains little or no N and organic carbon, and CFA-borne P is not readily plant available, a mixture of CFA and manure or sewage sludge (SS) is better suited than CFA alone. Additionally, land application of such a mixture can mitigate the mobility of SS-borne PTEs, which is known to increase following cessation of SS application. Research analysis further shows that application of alkaline CFA with or without other amendments can help remediate at least marginally metal contaminated soils by immobilisation of mobile metal forms. CFA land application with SS or other source of organic carbon, N and P can help effectively reclaim/restore mining-affected lands. Given the variability in the nature and composition of CFA (pH, macro- and micro-nutrients) and that of soil (pH, texture and fertility), the choice of CFA (acidic or alkaline and its application rate) needs to consider the properties and problems of the soil. CFA can also be used as a low cost sorbent for the removal of organic and inorganic contaminants from wastewater streams; the disposal of spent CFA however can pose further challenges. Problems in CFA use as a soil amendment occur when it results in undesirable change in soil pH, imbalance in nutrient supply, boron toxicity in plants, excess supply of sulphate and PTEs

Highlights: ► The indirect CO2 mineralization by brown coal fly ash has been tested. ► A large CO2 capture capacity of fly ash under mild conditions was achieved. ► The kinetic analysis confirmed a fast reaction rate with low activation energy. ► The fly ash based capture process is highly efficient and cost-effective. - Abstract: The use of an industry waste, brown coal fly ash collected from the Latrobe Valley, Victoria, Australia, has been tested for the post-combustion CO2 capture through indirect minersalization in acetic acid leachate. Upon the initial leaching, the majority of calcium and magnesium in fly ash were dissolved into solution, the carbonation potential of which was investigated subsequently through the use of a continuously stirred high-pressure autoclave reactor and the characterization of carbonation precipitates by various facilities. A large CO2 capture capacity of fly ash under mild conditions has been confirmed. The CO2 was fixed in both carbonate precipitates and water-soluble bicarbonate, and the conversion between these two species was achievable at approximately 60 °C and a CO2 partial pressure above 3 bar. The kinetic analysis confirmed a fast reaction rate for the carbonation of the brown coalash-derived leachate at a global activation energy of 12.7 kJ/mol. It is much lower than that for natural minerals and is also very close to the potassium carbonate/piperazine system. The CO2 capture capacity of this system has also proven to reach maximum 264 kg CO2/tonne fly ash which is comparable to the natural minerals tested in the literature. As the fly ash is a valueless waste and requires no comminution prior to use, the technology developed here is highly efficient and energy-saving, the resulting carbonate products of which are invaluable for the use as additive to cement and in the paper and pulp industry.

Full Text Available Methane adsorption isotherms on coals with varying ash contents were investigated. The textural properties were characterized by N2 adsorption/desorption isotherm at 77 K, and methane adsorption characteristics were measured at pressures up to 4.0 MPa at 298 K, 313 K, and 328 K, respectively. The Dubinin-Astakhov model and the Polanyi potential theory were employed to fit the experimental data. As a result, ash content correlated strongly to methane adsorption capacity. Over the ash range studied, 9.35% to 21.24%, the average increase in methane adsorption capacity was 0.021 mmol/g for each 1.0% rise in ash content. With the increasing ash content range of 21.24%~43.47%, a reduction in the maximum adsorption capacities of coals was observed. In addition, there was a positive correlation between the saturated adsorption capacity and the specific surface area and micropore volume of samples. Further, this study presented the heat of adsorption, the isosteric heat of adsorption, and the adsorbed phase specific heat capacity for methane adsorption on various coals. Employing the proposed thermodynamic approaches, the thermodynamic maps of the adsorption processes of coalbed methane were conducive to the understanding of the coal and gas simultaneous extraction.

Developing valuable products is important for promoting the effective use of coalash. Zeolite, microporous crystalline aluminosilicate, is an attractive candidate because it has vast possible applications like water-retaining material, soil conditioner, and ion-exchanger. Further, since mainly consisting of alumina and silica, coal fly ash would be suitable for synthesizing zeolite. We developed a novel process for continuous production of zeolite and applied to the zeolitization of coal fly ash. This process has four sections: (1) Raw materials supply, (2) tubular pre-reactor, (3) main disk-type reactor, and (4) product recovery. The capacity of our bench-scale unit is 400 kg/year. Based on the concept of on a series of continuous stirred tank reactors, the main disk-type reactor was designed. Coal fly ash was supplied to the reactor with NaOH solution and then hydrothermally converted into zeolite in the temperature range of 70-200{degree}C. Though the crystalline part (mainly quartz and mullite) of fly ash stayed in the product, glassy part was successfully converted into zeolite. The main product was P-type zeolite and sodalite became a dominant product at higher temperatures. Alumina was additionally supplied to control Si/Al ratio of raw materials. The addition of an appropriate amount of alumina gave A-type zeolite of which Si/Al ratio = 1 at about 100{degree}C. (Abstract only)

Coal power plants are producing ash in enormous quantity as fly ash and bottom ash, whenever coal is combusted. Lakhra Coal Power Plant produces waste of solid fossil fuel and lime stone. Due to the silica, alumina and iron oxide it is good to be used in cement preparation and land filling. In this study a new application is identified, which is more useful and beneficial. This paper presents the results carried out investigating the insulating material prepared from the coal fly ash and asphalt by using the simple unit operations of sizing the materials. At melting temperature of the asphalt sieved fly ash is mixed with it to produce complex heavy sludge. Two samples of different ratios from the rapidly solidifying insulating material were prepared in the molding press at 200 psi pressure. Arm-field heat conduction apparatus HT-l was applied to test its thermal properties. Thermal properties of the material were observed to be heat resistant with mean thermal conductivity at 10 watt 0.8949 w/m-K for Sample No.1 and 0.91886 w/m-K for Sample No.2; whereas the mean thermal resistances calculated were 30.4 I 65m/sup 2/-K/w and 29.6234m/sup 2/-K/w, respectively. The results obtained during this study are satisfactory and we hope that the insulation material prepared would be used in Pakistan in building constructions for heat resistance and insulation purposes. (author)

This bibliography includes references on nuclear techniques for analysis of coal for calorific value, ash and moisture content. As the search was directed particularly towards measurement of the ash content of coal using x- and gamma-ray methods, references covering only β-ray techniques have been placed in a separate section. References from Chemical Abstracts prior vol.62 (1965) do not cite the language of the original article. The language of the original has been given for all other articles not in English. (author)

A method for leaching rare earth elements from coalash in the presence of elemental sulfur using communities of acidophilic chemolithotrophic microorganisms was proposed. The optimal parameters determined for rare element leaching in reactors were as follows: temperature, 45 degrees C; initial pH, 2.0; pulp density, 10%; and the coalash to elemental sulfur ratio, 10 : 1. After ten days of leaching, 52.0, 52.6, and 59.5% of scandium, yttrium, and lanthanum, respectively, were recovered. PMID:26263628

The effect of using industrial waste brine solution instead of ultra pure water was investigated during the synthesis of zeolites using three South African coal fly ashes as Si feedstock. The high halide brine was obtained from the retentate effluent of a reverse osmosis mine water treatment plant. Synthesis conditions applied were; ageing of fly ash was at 47 ° C for 48 hours, and while the hydrothermal treatment temperature was set at 140 ° C for 48 hours. The use of brine as a solvent resulted in the formation of hydroxy sodalite zeolite although unconverted mullite and hematite from the fly ash feedstock was also found in the synthesis product. PMID:22175873

The spectral emittance of deposits left by bituminous and sub-bituminous coals under oxidizing conditions have been measured in situ. Pulverized coal is injected into a down-fired entrained-flow reactor. Ash accumulates on a probe in the reactor effluent and radiation emitted by the ash layer is recorded using a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. Values for the spectral emissive power emitted by the ash and the surface temperature of the ash are extracted from these data. These results are then used to calculate the spectral emittance of the deposit. The spectral emittances of ash deposits formed by burning Illinois no. 6 (bituminous) coal and Powder River Basin (sub-bituminous) coal were measured between 3000 and 500 wavenumbers. The spectral emittance of the deposit left by the bituminous coal has a constant value of approximately 0.46 between 3000 and 2400 wavenumbers. Between 2200 and 1200 wavenumbers, the spectral emittance of the deposit increases from approximately 0.47 to approximately 0.61. Between 1200 and 500 wavenumbers, the spectral emittance is relatively constant at 0.61. The spectral emittance of the deposit left by the sub-bituminous coal is also relatively constant between 3000 and 2400 wavenumbers at a value of 0.29. Between 2200 and 500 wavenumbers, the spectral emittance of deposits from the sub-bituminous coal increases from approximately 0.29 to 0.55. Differences between these spectral emittance measurements and those measured ex situ illustrate the importance of making in situ measurements. Band emittances were calculated using the measured spectral emittances, and band emittances of the deposits are reported as functions of temperature.

Full Text Available Coalash is a byproduct of mineral coal combustion in thermal power plants. This residue is responsible for many environmental problems because it pollutes soil, water, and air. Thus, it is important to find ways to reuse it. In this study, coal fly ash, obtained from the Presidente Médici Thermal Power Plant, was utilized in the preparation of ceramic supports for the immobilization of the enzyme invertase and subsequent hydrolysis of sucrose. Coal fly ash supports were prepared at several compaction pressures (63.66–318.30 MPa and sintered at 1200°C for 4 h. Mineralogical composition (by X-ray diffraction and surface area were studied. The ceramic prepared with 318.30 MPa presented the highest surface area (35 m2/g and amount of immobilized enzyme per g of support (76.6 mg/g. In assays involving sucrose inversion, it showed a high degree of hydrolysis (around 81% even after nine reuses and 30 days’ storage. Therefore, coal fly ash ceramics were demonstrated to be a promising biotechnological alternative as an immobilization support for the hydrolysis of sucrose.

During the past decade, increasing effort has been given to monitoring coal quality in the search, production and preparation sequence. Considerable research and development has been carried out on nuclear methods for determination of ash in coal. A number of nuclear techniques are now well established for coal analysis. In particular, the spectrometric gamma-gamma technique is based on the existence of a simple correlation between the ash content and the equivalent atomic number of coal. This technique records and uses the count rates of the backscatter spectrum. These count rates describe the changes in spectral shape which are due to ash content variations. This method is presented along with a short review of the physical background. The report includes the simulation of in situ borehole probe readings using a MONTE CARLO tracking program. Simulating the transport through matter of gamma-rays by MONTE CARLO techniques essentially attempts to reproduce the actual statistical nature of the interaction processes. Random numbers are used throughout, along with known nuclear data, to select the parameters which influence a particle's history. Such an approach can deal with complex geometries through which the particles move. Biaising or weightening techniques are applied for variance reduction, so as to minimise the statistical errors. The basic features of biaising as well as the description of the program are given. A semi-theoretical approach is discussed for the determination of ash content of coal seam using the simulated spectrum

Full Text Available The radioactivity monitoring in the “Nikola Tesla”, “Kolubara”, “Morava” and “Kostolac” coal-fired power plants was performed by the Radiation and Environmental Protection Laboratory, Vinča Institute of nuclear sciences in the period 2003-2010. Monitoring included the analysis of soil, water, flying ash, slag, coal and plants. This paper presents the results of the radioactivity analysis of coal, ash and slag samples. Naturally occurring radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, 235U, 238U, and 210Pb as well as the man-made radionuclide 137Cs were determined by gamma spectrometry using HPGe detector. The concentrations of pairs of radionuclides were statistically tested to determine the correlation between them. Based on the obtained results, health effect due to the activity of these radionuclides was estimated via radium equivalent (Raeq, external hazard index (Hex, external gamma absorbed dose rate ( and annual effective dose.

Coal derived nano-particles has been received much concern recently around the world for their adverse effects on human health and the environment during their utilization. In this investigation the mineral matter present in some industrially important Indian coals and their ash samples are addressed. Coal and fly ash samples from the coal-based captive power plant in Meghalaya (India) were collected for different characterization and nano-mineralogy studies. An integrated application of advanced characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), High Resolution-Transmission Electron microscopy (HR-TEM)/(Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy) EDS/(selected-area diffraction pattern) SAED, Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM)/EDS analysis, and Mössbauer spectroscopy were used to know their extent of risks to the human health when present in coal and fly ash. The study has revealed that the coals contain mainly clay minerals, whilst glass fragments, spinel, quartz, and other minerals in lesser quantities were found to be present in the coal fly ash. Fly ash carbons were present as chars. Indian coal fly ash also found to contain nanominerals and ultrafine particles. The coal-fired power plants are observed to be the largest anthropogenic source of Hg emitted to the atmosphere and expected to increase its production in near future years. The Multi Walled Carbon Nano-Tubes (MWCNTs) are detected in our fly ashes, which contains residual carbonaceous matter responsible for the Hg capture/encapsulation. This detailed investigation on the inter-relationship between the minerals present in the samples and their ash components will also be useful for fulfilling the clean coal technology principles. - Highlights: • We research changes in the level of ultrafine and nanoparticles about coal–ash quality. • Increasing dates will increase human health quality in this Indian coal area. • Welfare effects depend on ex-ante or ex-post assumptions about

The research is intended to find out the possibilities for utility of building materials such as brick with various mixtures of the kaolin and clay. The kaolin belong to the PD, PC and WC grades which from the fly ash of the Honam and the Samcheonpo thermal power plants and clay (HD) from the Hwangdeung, Hadong and Sancheong areas. 1) -200 mesh grain size of fly ash shows higher alkali contents than +200 mesh grains. Especially, alkali components such as CaO (10.58 %), MgO (1.67 %) and Na{sub 2}O (0.53 %) have contributed to make dense structure because of the alkalis are fusion materials. For example, 50 % mixture ratio of fly ash and clay shows the compressional strength of 1,700 kg/cm{sup 2}. The higher mixture ratio of fly ash and clay, the higher compressional intensity is found in general. 2) As the result of the reaction between CaO and Na{sub 2}O compositions in the Honam fly ash, and SiO{sub 2} and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} in clay at the 1,200 deg. C has shown the formation of plagioclase crystal. 3) Fly ash in the Samcheonpo thermal power plants has lower contents of alkali component than the fly ash in the Honam. If the mixture ratio of fly ash is 10 % the compressional strength is found to be 600-720 kg/cm{sup 2}, that is because of the higher concentrations of uncombustible carbon in the Samcheonpo plant. The compressional intensity decreases as the fly ash contents are increased. When the ratio of mixture in the fly ash is 50 %, the compressional intensity shows 270-300 kg/cm{sup 2}. 4) Mixture experiments among PD, PC and WC grades of kaolin, the sintering has not formed in the grains at the 1,200 deg. C and the compressional strength is rather low with 60{approx}125 kg/cm{sup 2}. At the temperature of sintering is 1250 deg. C the sintering in the grains has been taken place with 210 kg/cm{sup 2}. But the temperature of 1,300 deg. C, the surface of sintering materials shows cracks. 5) The possibilities for usage of fly ash to develop the bricks with various

An estimated 229 000 m3 of coal fly ash remains in the river system after dredging to clean-up the 2008 Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) spill in Kingston, Tennessee. The ash is heterogeneous with clear, orange and black spheres and non-spherical amorphous particles. Combustion produces iron oxides that allow low field magnetic susceptibility (χLF) and percent frequency dependent susceptibility (χFD%) to be used to discriminate between coal fly ash and sediments native to the watershed. Riverbed samples with χLF greater than 3.0 × 10−6 m3/kg, have greater than 15% ash measured by optical point counting. χLF is positively correlated with total ash, allowing ash detection in riverbed sediments and at depth in cores. The ratio of ash sphere composition is altered by river transport introducing variability in χLF. Measurement of χLF is inexpensive, non-destructive, and a reliable analytical tool for monitoring the fate of coalash in this fluvial environment. -- Highlights: ► Coal fly ash is composed of spheres (clear, orange, black) and amorphous particles. ► Black spheres dominate the magnetic susceptibility signal (χLF). ► The river sorts ash but maintains a ratio of clear: orange: black ash. ► χLF measurements can predict % ash spheres from simple linear regression. ► χLF can be used to track coalash in the riverbed and in sediment cores. -- An application of magnetic susceptibility for tracking the distribution of coal fly ash within a river system after the 2008 TVA spill at Kingston, Tennessee

The effect of removing pyrite and ash from fine coal with electrostatic separator is determined by the electric property of coal, the distribution of corona ion and electrostatic field, and the disperse and even feed. The dielectric constant of coal and mineral matter is studied in this paper and the amendment has been made to survey theory. The oscillogram is adopted to study the distribution of corona ion and electrostatic field. The paper details the study of remoing pyrite and ash from fine coal, and the test results demonstrate the high efficiency of removing pyrite and ash with electrostatic separator.

In this paper, microwave digestion conditions have been optimised to achieve complete recoveries for the ash-forming inorganic elements in coal and coal combustion fly ash, during the analysis by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The elements analysed include six major (Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg and Na) and twelve trace (As, Ba, Be, Co, Cr, Cu, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr and V). Seven reference samples have been tested, including two standard coal references, SRM1632c and SARM19, their corresponding high-temperature ashes (HTAs), and three coal fly ash references, SRM1633c, SRM2690 and BCR38. The recoveries of individual elements in these samples have been examined intensively, as a function of the amount of hydrofluoric acid (HF, 0-2.0 ml), microwave power (900 W vs. 1200 W) and sample mass (0.05 g vs. 0.1 g). As have been confirmed, the recoveries of these individual elements varied significantly with the microwave digestion condition, elemental type and sample property. For the coal references and their HTAs, the use of HF can be ruled out for most of the elements, except K associated with feldspar, Pb and V. In particular, the recovery of Pb in coal is highly sample-specific and thus unpredictable. The majority of elements in fly ash references require the use of 0.1-0.2 ml HF for a complete recovery. Al in fly ash is the only exceptional element which gave incomplete recoveries throughout, suggesting the use of a complementary technique for its quantification. As has proven to be the only element inconsequential of sample type and digestion conditions, achieving complete recoveries for all cases. On the power parameter, using a higher power such as 1200 W is critical, which has proved to be an ultimatum for the recovery of certain elements, especially in fly ash. Halving sample mass from 0.1 g to 0.05 g was also found to be insignificant. PMID:23158332

The work reported formed part of a collaborative European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)-supported project, co-ordinated by Mitsui Babcock Energy limited (MBEL), aimed at investigating the possibility of preparing ettringite (a calcium sulpho-aluminate hydrate, 3CaO.Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}.3CaSO{sub 4}.32H{sub 2}O)-based products and calcium sulpho-aluminated (CSA) cements from coalashes and desulphurisation residues. A total of twenty five sets of samples of coalash and desulphurisation residues have been collected from twenty two coal-fired power stations and industrial boiler plants (twenty sites) in seven European countries. All the samples were analysed and their suitability as feedstocks for ettringite synthesis and calcium sulphoaluminated cement production has been assessed. The following conclusions have been drawn: 1. Any Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-bearing fly ash or mixed fly ash/desulphurisation residue is potentially suitable for use as a feedstock in ettringite synthesis or calcium sulphoaluminated cement production. Ashes with high Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} in glass contents are preferred. 2. Any gypsum is suitable for use as a feedstock in ettringite synthesis. 3. Any gypsum or calcium sulphite-bearing desulphurisation residue or mixed fly ash/desulphurisation residue is suitable for use as a feedstock in calcium sulphoaluminated cement production. 4. Feed material mixture composition requires to be optimised for any particular set of residues that are used as feedstocks. 5. Leaching tests on finished ettringite and calcium sulphoaluminated cement products would identify any problems resulting from the heavy metal contents of the ashes and desulphurisation residues. 24 refs., 4 tabs., 2 apps.

The secondary release of mercury from coal fly ash is a negative by-product from coal-fired power plants, and requires effective control to reduce environmental pollution. Analysing particle size distribution and composition of the coal fly ash produced by different mercury removing technologies indicates that the particles are generally less than 0.5 mm in size and are composed mainly of SiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3. The relationships between mercury concentration in the coal fly ash, its particle size, and loss of ignition were studied using different mercury removing approaches. The research indicates that the coal fly ash's mercury levels are significantly higher after injecting activated carbon or brominating activated carbon when compared to regular cooperating-pollution control technology. This is particularly true for particle size ranges of >0.125, 0.075-0.125, and 0.05-0.075 mm. Leaching experiments revealed the secondary release of mercury in discarded coal fly ash. The concentration of mercury in the coal fly ash increases as the quantity of injecting activated carbon or brominating activated carbon increases. The leached concentrations of mercury increase as the particle size of the coal fly ash increases. Therefore, the secondary release of mercury can be controlled by adding suitable activated carbon or brominating activated carbon when disposing of coal fly ash. Adding CaBr2 before coal combustion in the boiler also helps control the secondary release of mercury, by increasing the Hg(2+) concentration in the leachate. This work provides a theoretical foundation for controlling and removing mercury in coal fly ash disposal. PMID:26121324

This work presents a study of natural radioactivity levels in coal and its combustion residues (fly ash and slag) used in the houses in Black Sea Region, Turkey. Coal, fly ash and slag samples were provided from different locations of the region and analyzed by gamma spectroscopy using a high-purity germanium detector (HPGe). Also, chemical analyses of these samples were carried out using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. The mean {sup 226}Ra activity concentrations in coal, slag and fly ash were measured as 83, 99 and 38 Bq kg{sup -1}, respectively. The mean {sup 232}Th activity concentrations in coal, slag and fly ash were measured as 108, 113 and 50 Bq kg{sup -1}, respectively. The mean {sup 40}K activity concentrations in coal, slag and fly ash were found to be 366, 381 and 204 Bq kg{sup -1}, respectively. The potential radiological hazards associated to these materials were evaluated by calculating the radium equivalent activity (Ra{sub eq}), the air absorbed gamma dose rate (D), the annual effective dose rate (AED), the external hazard index (H{sub ex}) and internal hazard index (H{sub in}) and compared with the internationally accepted or reference values. The mean Ra{sub eq} values of the coal, fly ash and slag samples were lower than the recommended maximum values 370 Bq kg{sup -1} by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The overall mean outdoor terrestrial gamma air absorbed dose rate in coal, fly ash and slag samples are 119, 129 and 62 nGy h{sup -1} and the corresponding outdoor annual effective doses are 0.60, 0.32 and 0.64 mSv y{sup -1}, which is higher than the worldwide average (0.07 mSv y{sup -1}), respectively. Moreover, the enrichment factors relative to the input coal are calculated for the radionuclide contents observed. Calculated enrichment factor values for {sup 226}Ra and {sup 232}Th were found 1.14 and 1.01, respectively. (orig.)

Recent research has shown that fly ash may catalyze the oxidation of elemental mercury and facilitate its removal. However, the nature of mercury-fly ash interaction is still unknown, and the mechanism of mercury retention in fly ash needs to be investigated more thoroughly. In this work, a fly ash from a coal-fired power plant is used to characterize the inorganic and organic constituents and then evaluate its mercury retention capacities. The as-received fly ash sample is mechanically sieved to obtain five size fractions. Their characteristics are examined by loss on ignition (LOI), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray detector (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectra. The results show that the unburned carbon (UBC) content and UBC structural ordering decrease with a decreasing particle size for the five ashes. The morphologies of different size fractions of as-received fly ash change from the glass microspheres to irregular shapes as the particle size increases, but there is no correlation between particle size and mineralogical compositions in each size fraction. The adsorption experimental studies show that the mercury-retention capacity of fly ash depends on the particle size, UBC, and the type of inorganic constituents. Mercury retention of the types of sp2 carbon is similar to that of sp3 carbon.

Fly ash samples collected from two locations in the exhaust stream of a coal-fired power plant differ markedly with respect to the abundance of thin (???0.1 ??m) sulfur-rich surface coatings that are observable by scanning electron microscopy. The coatings, tentatively identified as an aluminum-potassium-sulfate phase, probably form upon reaction between condensed sulfuric acid aerosols and glass surfaces, and are preferentially concentrated on ash exposed to exhaust stream gases for longer. The coatings are highly soluble and if sufficiently abundant, can impart an acidic pH to solutions initially in contact with ash. These observations suggest that proposals for ash use and predictions of ash behavior during disposal should consider the transient, acid-generating potential of some ash fractions and the possible effects on initial ash leachability and alteration. ?? 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Stabilized sewage sludge (SS) by fly ash (FA) and alkaline mine tailing as artificial soil,to be applied on the ecological rehabilitation at mining junkyards,offers a potentially viable utilization of the industrial by-product,as well as solves the shortage of soil resource in the mine area.An incubation experiment with different ratios of SS and FA was conducted to evaluate the solubility of ions and trace elements from stabilized sewage sludge.Results showed that fly ash offset a decrease in pH value of sewage sludge.The pH of (C) treatment (FA:SS=1:1) was stable and tended to neutrality.The SO42- and Cl- concentrations of the solution in the mixture were significantly decreased in the stabilized sewage sludge by alkaline fly ash and mine tailing,compared to the single SS treatment.Stabilized sewage sludge by FA weakened the nitrification of total nitrogen from SS when the proportion of FA in the mixture was more than 50%.The Cr,Ni,and Cu concentrations in the solution were gradually decreased and achieved a stable level after 22 days,for all treatments over the duration of the incubation.Moreover stabilized sewage sludge by fly ash and/or mine tailing notably decreased the trace metal solubility.The final Cr,Cu,and Ni concentrations in the solution for all mixtures of treatments were lower than 2.5,15,and 50 μg/L,respectively.

Minerals that are extracted from the earth’s crust to be directly used for their properties are called industrial minerals. This research shows that such minerals can also be produced from industrial residues, hence the name secondary industrial minerals. In this thesis coal fly ash is chosen as on

Coal and its by-product fly ash are technologically important materials being used for power generation and in the manufacture of bricks, sheets, cement, land-filling, etc., respectively. Increased interest in measuring radon concentration in coal, fly ash and cement is due to its health hazards and environmental pollution. As the presence of radon in the environment (indoor and outdoor), soil, ground water, oil and gas deposits contributes the largest fraction of the natural radiation dose to populations, tracking its concentration is thus of paramount importance for radiological protection. Samples of coal and fly ash were collected from different thermal power stations in northern India and cement samples from National Council for Cement and Building Materials, Ballabgarh (Haryana), India and were analysed for radon concentration. For the measurement, alpha sensitive LR-115 type II plastic track detectors were used. Based upon the available data, the annual effective dose and the lifetime fatality risk factors have been calculated. The radon concentration from coal samples varied from 433 ± 28 Bqm-3 to 2086 ± 28 Bqm-3. The radon concentration from fly ash samples varied from 748 ± 28 Bqm-3 to 1417 ± 111 Bqm-3 and from 158 Bqm-3 to 1810 Bqm-3 in cement samples, with an average of 624 ± 169 Bqm-3. (author)

In order to realize automatic measurement the Multichannel Computer Analyzer codes were made. This work directly supported the job of determination of ash content of coal using annihilation radiation. The code could not be copied by others and could kill virus by itself. It could be widely used in works of using Multichannel computer Analyzer

The highly porous power plant waste ashes have been utilized to treat toxic effluent of a dyes manufacturing plant. An attempt has been made for the first time in Pakistan, to generate an effective and economically sound treatment facility for the toxic effluent of a dyes manufacturing plant. This is an indigenous bed which could replace expensive treatment facilities, such as reverse osmosis (RO), granulated activated carbon (GAC) bed, etc. The treatment efficiency was improved by coupling coagulants with fly ash adsorbent bed. The ash was collected from coal fired boilers of power plant at Lakhra Power Generation Company, Jamshoro, Pakistan. The use of this ash resolved the disposal and environmental issues by treating wastewater of chemical, dyes and pigment industry. The treatment bed comprised of briquettes of coal fly ash coupled with commercial coagulant ferrous sulfate-lime reduced COD, color, turbidity and TSS of effluent remarkably. An adsorption capacity and chemical behavior of fly ash bed was also studied. In coagulation treatment, coagulant FeSO/sun 4/-lime influenced reduction of COD, color, turbidity and TSS by 32 percentage, 48 percentage, 50 percentage and 51 percentage, respectively. The CFAB coupled with coagulant, resulted an excessive removal of color, TSS, COD, and turbidity by 88 percentage, 92 percentage, 67 percentage and 89 percentage, respectively. (author)

Full Text Available The highly porous power plant waste ashes have been utilized to treat toxic effluent of a dyes manufacturing plant. An attempt has been made for the first time in Pakistan, to generate an effective and economically sound treatment facility for the toxic effluent of a dyes manufacturing plant. This is an indigenous bed which could replace expensive treatment facilities, such as reverse osmosis (RO, granulated activated carbon (GAC bed, etc. The treatment efficiency was improved by coupling coagulants with fly ash adsorbent bed. The ash was collected from coal fired boilers of power plant at Lakhra Power Generation Company, Jamshoro, Pakistan. The use of this ash resolved the disposal and environmental issues by treating wastewater of chemical, dyes and pigment industry. The treatment bed comprised of briquettes of coal fly ash coupled with commercial coagulant ferrous sulfate-lime reduced COD, color, turbidity and TSS of effluent remarkably. An adsorption capacity and chemical behavior of fly ash bed was also studied. In coagulation treatment, coagulant FeSO4-lime influenced reduction of COD, color, turbidity and TSS by 32%, 48%, 50% and 51%, respectively. The CFAB coupled with coagulant, resulted an excessive removal of color, TSS, COD, and turbidity by 88%, 92%, 67% and89%, respectively.

Coal power plants are producing huge amounts of coalash that may be applied to a variety of secondary uses. Class F fly ash may act as an excellent scrubber and fixation reagent for highly acidic wastes, which might also contain several toxic trace elements. This paper evaluates the potential of using Class F fly ashes (<20% CaO), in combination with excessive fines from the limestone quarry industry as a fixation reagent. The analysis included leaching experiments (EN12457-2) and several analytical techniques (ICP, SEM, XRD, etc.), which were used in order to investigate the fixation procedure. The fine sludge is used as a partial substitute in concrete that can be used in civil engineering projects, as it an environmentally safe product. PMID:26510011

Full Text Available A model for the combustion of porous char particles as a basis for modeling the process of sulfur retention by ash during coal combustion is developed in this paper. The model belongs to the microscopic intrinsic models and describes the dynamic behavior of a porous char particle during comustion, taking into account temporal and spatial changes of all important physical properties of the char particle and various combustion parameters. The parametric analysis of the enhanced model shows that the model represents a good basis for the development of a model for the process of sulfur retention by ash during coal combustion. The model enables the prediction of the values of all parameters necessary for the introduction of reactions between sulfur compounds and mineral components in ash, primarily calcium oxide.

This thesis describes the consequences of the disposal of the combustion residues of coal, especially the uptake of elements from such residues and their effects on various organisms. The effects on benthic organisms in fresh and in seawater are considered in the first two parts. The third part looks at the uptake of elements from coal residues and their effect on the growth of plants and worms.The central theme is the combustion residue known as pulverized fuel ash (PFA), or 'flyash'. Coal i...

Coal fly ash cenospheres are very promising for a variety of applications, such as production of porous materials, sensitisers of emulsion explosives, adsorbents, catalysts, etc. One of the interesting areas of cenosphere application is generation of microspherical ion-exchangers for immobilization of liquid radioactive waste, which are active in trapping radionuclides from radioactive solutions and, at a final step, can serve as a matrix for radionuclide disposal in the form of stable mineral-like compounds. It was demonstrated that two types of microspherical ion-exchangers, such as (I) encapsulated inorganic ion-exchangers and (ii) cenosphere-derived zeolites, could be prepared on cenospheres. It was shown that chemical modification of cenospheres by etching with mineral acids results in formation of open pores in the cenosphere wall. Depending on the nature of acid, one can obtain hollow microspheres with porous walls of different specific surface area (30-50 m{sup 2}/g for HCl etched cenospheres and 1-2 m{sup 2}/g for HF etched ones) and morphology. Cenosphere species with a macroporous permeable wall is a suitable support for encapsulation of active additives inside the perforated spheres. In this work a number of encapsulated sorbents of {sup 137}Cs{sup +}, such as ammonium molybdophosphate, copper, nickel and iron-ferrocyanides, zirconium phosphate, were obtained. Cenosphere-derived zeolites of NaP, NaX and NaA types were obtained by the hydrothermal treatment of cenospheres in the presence of alkaline solutions. Properties of the encapsulated ion-exchangers and microspherical zeolites were studied in Cs{sup +} and Sr{sup 2+} sorption from simulant solutions of different composition. Sorbents impregnated with radionuclides were shown to convert into stable crystalline compounds under thermal and thermobaric treatment. 19 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs.

The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of coal fly ash-amended composts for use as an alternate manure for agricultural crops. Home-made organic composts was mixed in various proportions with fine fly ash collected from Savannah River Site, and allowed to decompose for two weeks while the mixture was kept wet. Water extracts from the amended composts were analyzed for selected major and trace elements. These amended composts were mixed with sifted sandy loam soil in a predetermined optimum ratio of 1:3 and used to grow corn and sorghum plants. It was shown that fly ash additions to home-made compost facilitated efficient plant utilization of nutrients when 20-40% fly ash in compost was applied to the soil. The maximum dry shoot yields correlated with the higher concentrations of K, Ca and N and lower concentrations of B in the amended compost treatment

Indraprastha Power Station (IPP station) and Rajghat Power House (RHP) are both coal-fired power stations in New Delhi. Ash content of the coal used ranges between 38-47%. The ash is collected in electrostatic precipitators which have an efficiency of 99.3% (IPP station), and 99.7% (RPH). There are instances of major dust pollution around the power stations from fly ash dispersal. The main method of disposal of fly ash from the power stations is by mixing with water; the resultant slurry is pumped through pipes to ash disposal ponds. The supernatant from these ponds is discharged into the River Yamuna. Field studies have revealed large quantities of fly ash being deposited into the river. Field studies, conducted in January 1995 investigated the impact of fly ash dispersal in the Delhi region with particular reference to metal contamination.

Coalash management would remain a great concern all over the world. Several studies proposed that there is an ample scope for safe utilization of coalash as a soil ameliorant that may improve physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil and is a source of readily available plant micro and macro nutrient. With this concept a pot culture experiment was carried out in the eastern ghat high land zone of Odisha, India under open condition in the nursery. Different levels of coalash and soil mixture were used in different combinations to check their effect on the physio-morphological and biochemical parameters of guava. The study on the effect of varying levels of coalash on guava revealed that the combination of 50:50 and 25:75 coalash and soil mixture increased the seed germination, seedling characteristics, biomass, vegetative growth and chlorophyll content of the seedlings. The increase in growth traits was attributed to increase in nutrient acquisition of plants grown under above combinations. On contrary 100% coalash in the growing medium reduced seed germination, seedling vigour, growth and biomass per plant. The leaf nutrient status of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S and the micro nutrients Zn, Mn, B, Mo, Fe and Cu were found to be higher in the treatments having higher proportion of coalash in the growing medium than other treatments and the lowest was recorded in control ( no coalash). The findings suggest that application of coalash in certain proportion is beneficial in terms of growth parameters and nutrient acquisition in guava. (author)

Coal combustion products (CCP or "ash") have been seen to be beneficial for improving soil quality and increasing vegetative yields. Owing to their structure with more holes, they are also potential carriers of plant nutrients. The bottom ash from the Lambton Generating Station, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada was treated for 66 hours in 0.10 mol/L P solutions prepared from NaH 2PO 4, which resulted in the ash adsorbing 784 µg/g of phosphorus. The ash was mixed with quartz sand and/or non P-loaded ash from the same source to provide a set of growth media that contained 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the recommended dose of P (50 µg/g) for maize. Biomass yields at 26, 34, and 46 days after planting were compared with control (non-doped ash) and fertilized with 0-20-0 fertilizer. In general, growth media containing between 25% and 100% of the recommended P dose performed as well or better than the fertilized trials. 46 days after planting, the shoot fresh weight for the 50%, 75%, and 100% doped media were 39.46%, 42.73%, and 46.13%, respectively, greater compared to fertilized trials. The shoot dry weight increased by 29.71%, 13.39%, and 28.87%, respectively. Also, root fresh and dry weight increased averagely by 16.62% and 14.03%. These results implied that coalashes are a better carrier for P uptaking, and P-loaded ash can be a good additive for sand soil improvement.

high-temperature rotational viscometer and a hot stage XRD. The produced data were used to calculate the operating temperature of a pilot-scale entrained flow reactor during the cocombustion of biomass/ coal samples in order to ensure the slag flow and to avoid corrosion of the walls due to liquid slag......The use of biomass for power generation can result in significant economical and environmental benefits. The greenhouse emissions can be reduced as well as the cost of the produced electricity. However, ash-related problems, including slagging, agglomeration, and corrosion, can cause frequent...... unscheduled shutdowns, decreasing the availability and increasing the cost of the produced power. In addition, the fouling of the heat exchange surfaces reduces the system efficiency. In this work the melting and rheological properties of various biomass and biomass/ coalash samples were studied by using a...

One of the techniques for Hg capture in coal-fired boilers involves injection of activated carbon (AC) into the boiler downstream of the air preheater. Hg is adsorbed onto the AC particles and fly ash, which are then both removed in an electrostatic precipitator or baghouse. This project addresses the issues of Hg on activated carbon and on fly ash from a materials re-use point of view. It also addresses the possible connection between SCR reactors, fly ash properties and Hg capture. The project is determining the feasibility of separating AC from fly ash in a fluidized bed and of regenerating the separated AC by heating the AC to elevated temperatures in a fluidized bed. The temperatures needed to drive off the Hg from the ash in a fluidized bed are also being determined. Finally, samples of fly ash from power plants with SCR reactors for NO{sub x} control, are being analyzed to determine the effect of SCR on the ash.

One of the techniques for Hg capture in coal-fired boilers involves injection of activated carbon (AC) into the boiler downstream of the air preheater. Hg is adsorbed onto the AC particles and fly ash, which are then both removed in an electrostatic precipitator or baghouse. This project addressed the issues of Hg on activated carbon and on fly ash from a materials re-use point of view. It also addressed the possible connection between SCR reactors, fly ash properties and Hg capture. The project has determined the feasibility of separating AC from fly ash in a fluidized bed and of regenerating the separated AC by heating the AC to elevated temperatures in a fluidized bed. The temperatures needed to drive off the Hg from the ash in a fluidized bed have also been determined. Finally, samples of fly ash from power plants with SCR reactors for NO{sub x} control have been analyzed in an effort to determine the effects of SCR on the ash.

Fly ash and fine dispersion releases by coal combustion in Greek coal power plants are radioactive. Concentrations in the fly ash up to 20 pCi/g and 10 pCi/g were measured for 238U and 226Ra respectively (not in secular equilibrium). The radioactivity of fly ash deduces risks in two ways: a) from the escaping fly ash in particulate form or fine dispersion and b) from using fly ash as substitute for cement in concrete. In a room of dimensions 10 x 10x4 m3 the concentration of Radon in the air will be about 10-9 μCi/cm3. For the above estimation a concrete porosity of 5% and a wall thickness of 20 cm was used. The estimated concentration of Radon was about two orders of magnitude lower than that of the MPC of Radon in the air, which is about 10-9 μCi/cm3. It is pointed out that if a 25% porosity were used, the Radon concentration will be an order of magnitude higher. (U.K.)

Highlights: • The impact of pH on the leaching of elements and metals from fly ash mixed soils. • Generally Ca, Cd, Mg, and Sr follows a cationic leaching pattern. • The leaching of As and Se shows an oxyanionic leaching pattern. • The leaching behavior of elements does not change based on material type. • Different fly ash types show different abilities in immobilizing trace elements. - Abstract: Leaching behaviors of Arsenic (As), Barium (Ba), Calcium (Ca), Cadmium (Cd), Magnesium (Mg), Selenium (Se), and Strontium (Sr) from soil alone, coal fly ash alone, and soil-coal fly ash mixtures, were studied at a pH range of 2–14 via pH-dependent leaching tests. Seven different types of soils and coal fly ashes were tested. Results of this study indicated that Ca, Cd, Mg, and Sr showed cationic leaching pattern while As and Se generally follows an oxyanionic leaching pattern. On the other hand, leaching of Ba presented amphoteric-like leaching pattern but less pH-dependent. In spite of different types and composition of soil and coal fly ash investigated, the study reveals the similarity in leaching behavior as a function of pH for a given element from soil, coal fly ash, and soil-coal fly ash mixtures. The similarity is most likely due to similar controlling mechanisms (e.g., solubility, sorption, and solid-solution formation) and similar controlling factors (e.g., leachate pH and redox conditions). This offers the opportunity to transfer knowledge of coal fly ash that has been extensively characterized and studied to soil stabilized with coal fly ash. It is speculated that unburned carbon in off-specification coal fly ashes may provide sorption sites for Cd resulting in a reduction in concentration of these elements in leachate from soil-coal fly ash mixture. Class C fly ash provides sufficient CaO to initiate the pozzolanic reaction yielding hydrated cement products that oxyanions, including As and Se, can be incorporated into.

Highlights: • The impact of pH on the leaching of elements and metals from fly ash mixed soils. • Generally Ca, Cd, Mg, and Sr follows a cationic leaching pattern. • The leaching of As and Se shows an oxyanionic leaching pattern. • The leaching behavior of elements does not change based on material type. • Different fly ash types show different abilities in immobilizing trace elements. - Abstract: Leaching behaviors of Arsenic (As), Barium (Ba), Calcium (Ca), Cadmium (Cd), Magnesium (Mg), Selenium (Se), and Strontium (Sr) from soil alone, coal fly ash alone, and soil-coal fly ash mixtures, were studied at a pH range of 2–14 via pH-dependent leaching tests. Seven different types of soils and coal fly ashes were tested. Results of this study indicated that Ca, Cd, Mg, and Sr showed cationic leaching pattern while As and Se generally follows an oxyanionic leaching pattern. On the other hand, leaching of Ba presented amphoteric-like leaching pattern but less pH-dependent. In spite of different types and composition of soil and coal fly ash investigated, the study reveals the similarity in leaching behavior as a function of pH for a given element from soil, coal fly ash, and soil-coal fly ash mixtures. The similarity is most likely due to similar controlling mechanisms (e.g., solubility, sorption, and solid-solution formation) and similar controlling factors (e.g., leachate pH and redox conditions). This offers the opportunity to transfer knowledge of coal fly ash that has been extensively characterized and studied to soil stabilized with coal fly ash. It is speculated that unburned carbon in off-specification coal fly ashes may provide sorption sites for Cd resulting in a reduction in concentration of these elements in leachate from soil-coal fly ash mixture. Class C fly ash provides sufficient CaO to initiate the pozzolanic reaction yielding hydrated cement products that oxyanions, including As and Se, can be incorporated into

This Standard sets out a procedure for the pyrohydrolytic separation of fluorine from coal, coke and fly-ash and for determination of fluorine by gravimetric processing and either ion potentiometry or ion chromatography.

Coal combustion in power plants in India produces large quantities coal related wastes, for example flyash and bottom ash. Coal is known to contain trace quantities of naturally occurring radionuclides including uranium. Thus coalash is also expected to contain those radionuclides. Flyash has become the subject of worldwide interest because of its diverse uses as in the manufacturing of cement, bricks, blocks, etc. Due to presence of higher concentration of primordial radionuclide content it may cause a potential health risk to people. The power plant- ash, if not properly disposed, will be a serious threat to the ambient environment. So it is essential to investigate the presence of radioactivity in the coalash samples collected from different thermal power plants. In the present work, an attempt has been made to estimate the alpha activity in the coalash samples collected from Kolaghat Thermal Power Plant, West Bengal using CR-39 plates - a very useful solid state nuclear track detector (SSNTD). It is one of the largest thermal power generation centres in West Bengal. This thermal power plant uses sub-bituminous coal from the nearby coalfields. The alpha activity of the samples varies from 1052-3571 Bq/kg. The analysis indicates high level of alpha activity in both fly and bottom ash and the level of activity are maximum among all power plant flyash of India reported so far. (author)

Low energy photon scatter or gamma ray transmission technique using scintillation and proportional detectors has been developed and is being utilised for a rapid laboratory determination of ash content in coals. The experimentally measured attentuation co-efficients are correlated with the ash values determined by conventional method, and a stochastic relationship between the two is developed using the least square fit. The choice of source, detector and samole thickness is described and the effects of variations in density, moisture and iron content on the accuracy of results are discussed. (author)

We present the first data on the mode of occurrence of Au in fly ashes from the Wulantuga and Lincang power plants in China, which burn high-Ge coal. Gold occurs as fine-grained drop-like particles with a size of n*0.01-0.2 μm on the surface of the glass globules. These features of the Au particles are proof for Au condensation from the gas phase and deposition on the surface of fly ash in the cooler zone of the electrostatic precipitator and baghouse filter.

A computer model which simulates coal combustion in a simple MHD combustor was assembled. Data from parallel experimental work on devolatilization, char oxidation, and ash vaporization at MHD conditions provide input parameters to the model and provide checks on some of the assumptions therein. Trade-offs between ash vaporization and char utilization predicted by the model are shown. The importance of CO/sub 2/, H/sub 2/O, O/sub 2/, O, and OH to char oxidation is indicated from both theoretical and experimental considerations.

The utilization of fly ash as a solid sorbent material for CO2 capture via surface adsorption and carbonation reaction was evaluated as an economically feasible CO2 reduction technique. The results show that fly ash from a coal fired power plant can capture CO2 up to 304.7 μmol/g fly ash, consisting of 2.9 and 301.8 μmol/g fly ash via adsorption and carbonation, respectively. The CO2 adsorption conditions (temperature, pressure, and moisture) can affect CO2 capture performance of fly ash. The carbonation of CO2 with free CaO in fly ashes was evaluated and the results indicated that the reaction consumed most of free CaO in fly ash. The fly ashes after CO2 capture were further used for application as a mineral admixture for concrete. Properties such as water requirement, compressive strength, autoclave expansion, and carbonation depth of mortar and paste specimens using fly ash before and after CO2 capture were tested and compared with material standards. The results show that the expansion of mortar specimens using fly ash after CO2 capture was greatly reduced due to the reduction of free CaO content in the fly ash compared to the expansion of specimens using fresh fly ash. There were no significant differences in the water requirement and compressive strength of specimens using fly ash, before and after CO2 capture process. The results from this study can lead to an alternative CO2 capture technique with doubtless utilization of fly ash after CO2 capture as a mineral admixture for concrete. PMID:26803257

Of the various industrial by-products, fly ash, a finely divided mineral residue generated from the combustion of pulverized coal in power plants, is the most abundant. Its utilization as mineral admixture in cement concrete transforms a costly liability into an economical proposition. Further more, the costs and environmental problems associated with its disposal are minimized or eliminated. This study comprises on RCC beams made with ordinary Portland cement and with different configurations of fly ash by replacing cement and fine aggregate. To achieve the aim of present study, total 27 RCC beams were made. Among 27 beams, 3 beams were made with normal concrete, 12 beams were made by replacing 25, 50, 75 and 100% of fine aggregate by fly ash and 12 beams were made by replacing 10, 25, 50, and 75% of cement by fly ash. The study of these beams was carried out in terms of Load deflection, ultimate strength, crack pattern and failure mode. By analyzing the test results, it was observed that the beams made by replacing 75% of fine aggregate by fly ash with 4 and 6 stirrups has shown less deflection and higher ultimate load carrying capacity whereas the beams made by replacing 50 and 75% of-cement by fly ash have given inferior behaviour in comparison to the beam made by ordinary portland cement concrete. (author)

Wood fly ash is an industrial by-product of the combustion of different wood materials and is mostly disposed of as waste on landfills. In our preliminary experiments, wood ash exhibited antibacterial activity against urban wastewater bacteria and we focused on wood fly ash as a potential substrate for wastewater disinfection. The addition of ash at a concentration of 10 g L⁻¹ (1%) caused an instant increase of pH in urban wastewater and landfill leachate. High pH (10.1-12.7) inactivated bacterial populations in the wastewater and the removal of faecal coliforms and intestinal enterococci after 6 h of contact was 100% (below the detection limit; ash sample (ash from combustion of beech) both in urban wastewater and landfill leachate. Properly chosen wood fly ash, i.e. one that tends to increase the pH to the greatest extent, proved to be a very effective disinfection substrate. Considering that water treated with wood ash has a high pH and needs to be neutralised before discharge, ash would be suitable for disinfection of leachates when smaller volumes are treated. PMID:25720024

A 4.1 million m(3) coalash release into the Emory and Clinch rivers in December 2008 at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston Fossil Plant in east Tennessee, USA, prompted a long-term, large-scale biological monitoring effort to determine if there are chronic effects of this spill on resident biota. Because of the magnitude of the ash spill and the potential for exposure to coalash-associated contaminants [e.g., selenium (Se), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg)] which are bioaccumulative and may present human and ecological risks, an integrative, bioindicator approach was used. Three species of fish were monitored-bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), redear sunfish (L. microlophus), and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)-at ash-affected and reference sites annually for 5 years following the spill. On the same individual fish, contaminant burdens were measured in various tissues, blood chemistry parameters as metrics of fish health, and various condition and reproduction indices. A multivariate statistical approach was then used to evaluate relationships between contaminant bioaccumulation and fish metrics to assess the chronic, sub-lethal effects of exposure to the complex mixture of coalash-associated contaminants at and around the ash spill site. This study suggests that while fish tissue concentrations of some ash-associated contaminants are elevated at the spill site, there was no consistent evidence of compromised fish health linked with the spill. Further, although relationships between elevated fillet burdens of ash-associated contaminants and some fish metrics were found, these relationships were not indicative of exposure to coalash or spill sites. The present study adds to the weight of evidence from prior studies suggesting that fish populations have not incurred significant biological effects from spilled ash at this site: findings that are relevant to the current national discussions on the safe disposal of coalash waste. PMID:27154845

Full Text Available The influence of temperature of alkaline hydrothermal treatment on the conversion in zeolite of Spanish coal low calcium-fly ash (ASTM class F is presented in this work. Zeolite Na-P1 gismondine type (Na6Al6Si10O32.12H2O was formed at the temperature of 100ºC, which transformed in zeolite; analcime-C type (Na(Si2AlO6H2O and sodalite (1.08 Na2O.Al2O3.1.68SiO2.1.8H2O at 200ºC together with traces of tobermorite-11Å (Ca5(OH2Si6O16.4H2O. At this temperature the 100% of the fly ash reaction was allowed. An equivalent study was carried out in water as reference. The zeolite conversion of the fly ash was characterized by X ray diffraction (XRD, FT infrared (FTIR spectroscopy, surface area (BET-N2 and thermal analyses.

Low energy #betta#-ray transmission measurements on suites of 100 kg samples from each of four different coal areas of Australia gave errors in ash determination of 0.99, 1.20, 1.59 and 2.24 wt% (1σ), respectively, for mean ash contents of 20.0, 27.1, 24.5 and 17.1 wt% ash. Calculations show that the main errors in ash determination are caused by variations of Fe2O3 in the ash, and the wt% ash error is proportional to the ash concentration. An error of about 0.5 wt% is predicted for washery product with ash content of 8 wt%. The most promising applications of low energy #betta#-ray techniques are for direct on-line determination of ash in washed coal, and for raw coal where accuracy required is not high or iron variations in the ash are small. (author)

The efficiency of two types of cyclones (an old and a new one) for three ash granulometric classes (0-40, 40-80, 80-100 μm) was studied with the aid of 51Cr radiotracer. The total efficiency of cyclones was calculated by combination of granulometric distribution with mean class efficiency. The difference between the efficiencies of the two cyclone types is significant. The results showed that the efficiency of the new modified cyclone was about 15% higher than that of the old one. (author) 3 refs.; 3 figs

In this study, rDNA ITS sequences were analyzed to compare the genetic diversity of Brachionus calyciflorus from the coalash contaminated (Lake Hui) and two uncontaminated lakes (Lake Tingtang and Lake Fengming). The results showed that two sibling species in Brachionus calyciflorus species complex were defined in both Lake Tingtang and Lake Fengming, but only one sibling species was found in Lake Hui. The coalash pollution decreased the number of sibling species. Based on the sequences of ...

Ash transformation and deposition in a pulverized wood-fired power plant boiler of 800 MWth were studied with and without the addition of coal fly ash. The transient ash deposition behavior was investigated by using an advanced deposit probe system at two different boiler locations with flue gas temperatures of ~1300oC and ~800oC, respectively. It was found that during pulverized wood combustion, the deposit formation at the hightemperature location was characterized by a slow and continuous ...

To investigate the distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fly ash, the combustion of coal and residual char was performed in a pressurized spouted fluidized bed. After Soxhlet extraction and Kuderna-Danish (K-D) concentration, the contents of 16 PAHs recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) in coal, residual char, and fly ash were analyzed by a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with fluorescence and diode array detection. The experimental results show that the combustion efficiency is lower and the carbon content in fly ash is higher during coal pressurized combustion, compared to the residual char pressurized combustion at the pressure of 0.3 MPa. Under the same pressure, the PAH amounts in fly ash produced from residual char combustion are lower than that in fly ash produced from coal combustion. The total PAHs in fly ash produced from coal and residual char combustion are dominated by three- and four-ring PAHs. The amounts of PAHs in fly ash produced from residual char combustion increase and then decrease with the increase of pressure in a fluidized bed. 21 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs.

The burning of pulverized coal to produce energy for generation of electricity in thermal power plants results in huge quantity of coalash of varying properties. Because of the increase in electricity production, the amount of ash produced will increase proportionally. A large percentage of coal fly ash is comprised of relatively inert materials, such as silica and other trace and toxic elements. The coalash also contain organic constituents of potential environmental concern. So far, very few studies on characterization of organic constituents in fly ash have been reported in the literature. In the present study, the fly ashes generated from the power stations are investigated regarding the distribution of 14 PAHs. The total amount of PAHs in the fly ash samples varied between 45.8 ng/g and 257.7 ng/g. Lower molecular weight (MW) PAHs, were found to be predominant in the fly ash samples. The concentration of Benzo(a)pyrene, which is the most potent carcinogenic PAH was found to vary between 0.8 ng/g to 6.3 ng/g with a mean concentration of 2.5 ng/g. (author)

A computer controlled laboratory instrument for the determination of ash as well as calcium and iron oxides in brown coals has been developed. It consists of a measuring head, control unit and printing device. Its principle of operation is based on XRF and scattering of the low energy X-rays from a Pu-238 source. Algorithms of the operation, software and design of the instrument are described. Some results of its testing are provided. The instrument is designed for the application in laboratories of power plants and brown coal mines. 6 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab. (author)

Coalash was used as starting material for zeolite synthesis by means of hydrothermal treatment. The surfactant-modified zeolite (SMZ) was prepared by adsorbing the cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMA-Br) on the external surface of the zeolite from coalash. The zeolite structure stability was monitored during the characterization of the materials by FTIR, XDR and SEM. The structural parameters of surfactant-modified zeolite are very close to that of corresponding non-modified zeolite which indicates that the crystalline nature of the zeolite remained intact after required chemical treatment with HDTMA-Br molecules and heating treatment for drying. The most intense peaks in the FTIR spectrum of HDTMA-Br were observed in SMZ spectrum confirming adsorption of surfactant on zeolites. (author)

This study summarizes and analyses data for natural radionuclides, 40K, 226 Ra and 'Th, measured by gamma spectrometry in water samples, sediments and coal-ash samples collected from regional freshwater ecosystems and near-by coal-ash repositories during the last decade, 1986-1996, respectively. The frequency plots of natural radionuclide data, for which the hypothesis of the regional scale log normality was accepted, exhibited single population groups with exception of 226Ra and232Th data for waters. Thus the presence of break points in the frequency distribution plots indicated that 226Ra and 232Th data for waters do not come from a single statistical population. Thereafter the hypothesis of log normality was accepted for the separate population groups of 226 Ra and '-32 Th in waters. (authors)

Zinc estimates in ore and slag samples were made using the radioisotope X-ray fluorescence method. A 10 mCi 238Pu was employed as the primary source of radiation and a thin crystal NaI(Ti) spectrometer was used to accomplish the detection of the 8.64 keV Zinc K-characteristic X-ray line. The results are reported. Ash content of coal concerning about 100 samples from Ravindra Khani VI and VII mines in Andhra Pradesh were measured using X-ray backscattering method with compensation for varying concentrations of iron in different coal samples through iron-X-ray fluorescent intensity measurements. The ash percent is found to range from 10 to 40. (author)

The surface chemical composition of brown coalash particles formed during combustion has been determined using the surface-sensitive technique of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Samples taken from furnace heat exchanger tube surfaces were in both powder and aggregate form. Other samples were obtained directly using 1 cm 2 steel coupons on a sample holder designed for insertion into flue gases in an experimental furnace. This allowed comparison of the XPS analyses between the fly-ash samples so acquired. After initial XPS characterization, samples were subjected to rare-gas ion (Ar +) sputtering for depth profiling purposes. The XPS technique was thus used to detect any sputter-induced composition changes or to observe any difference between the surface and bulk compositions of the ash. It was also observed that certain steels used for heat exchanger piping may well be pre-disposed to aluminosilicate fouling due to their intrinsic Al content.

In the city of Tuzla, located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a coal fired thermo electric power plant is operated by the company JP ELEKTROPRIVERDA BIH TERMOELEKTRANA "TUZLA". High amounts of ash are produced by the power plant, which are currently disposed into settlement ponds bordered by dams in natural valleys. A total of four ash disposal sites covering an area of approx. 170 ha have been established during the last decades. Due to the fact that residual ash from coal combustion was found to contain a variety of trace elements (Ni, Cr, As, B), it must be assumed that ash disposal of that magnitude constitutes an environmental problem which is investigated within the EU-FP6 / STREP project "Reintegration of CoalAsh Disposal Sites and Mitigation of Pollution in the West Balkan Area" RECOAL. The main hazards relate to soil and groundwater contamination due to leaching toxins, dust dispersion, and toxins entering the food chain as these disposal sites are used for agricultural purposes. In order to rapidly establish a vegetation cover on barren ash dumps that particularly would prevent dust erosion we assessed the applicability of compost, produced from locally available municipal and industrial organic residues as an amendment to ash to improve substrate fertility. The envisaged remediation technology was considered to be a low cost, easy applicable and rapid method capable of substantially enhancing living conditions of residents in the vicinity of the abandoned disposal sites. Various compost application rates were evaluated in the field on experimental site Divkovici I in Tuzla and additionally in the greenhouse environment at Brandenburg Technical University Cottbus. Field and laboratory tests revealed that plant growth and cover rate can substantially be improved by mixing compost into the upper ash layer to a maximum depth of approx. 20 cm. Besides direct growth observations in the field analysis of soil parameters gave evidence that the fertility of ashy

In situ metal stabilisation by amendments has been demonstrated as an appealing low-cost remediation strategy for contaminated soil. This study investigated the short-term leaching behaviour and long-term stability of As and Cu in soil amended with coal fly ash and/or green waste compost. Locally abundant inorganic (limestone and bentonite) and carbonaceous (lignite) resources were also studied for comparison. Column leaching experiments revealed that coal fly ash outperformed limestone and bentonite amendments for As stabilisation. It also maintained the As stability under continuous leaching of acidic solution, which was potentially attributed to high-affinity adsorption, co-precipitation, and pozzolanic reaction of coal fly ash. However, Cu leaching in the column experiments could not be mitigated by any of these inorganic amendments, suggesting the need for co-addition of carbonaceous materials that provides strong chelation with oxygen-containing functional groups for Cu stabilisation. Green waste compost suppressed the Cu leaching more effectively than lignite due to the difference in chemical composition and dissolved organic matter. After 9-month soil incubation, coal fly ash was able to minimise the concentrations of As and Cu in the soil solution without the addition of carbonaceous materials. Nevertheless, leachability tests suggested that the provision of green waste compost and lignite augmented the simultaneous reduction of As and Cu leachability in a fairly aggressive leaching environment. These results highlight the importance of assessing stability and remobilisation of sequestered metals under varying environmental conditions for ensuring a plausible and enduring soil stabilisation. PMID:24859701

There is uncertainty as to the rates of coal fly ash needed for optimum physiological processes and growth. In the current study we tested the hyothesis that photosynthetic pigments concentrations and CO{sub 2} assimilation (A) are more sensitive than dry weights in plants grown on media amended with coal fly ash. We applied the Terrestrial Plant Growth Test (Guideline 208) protocols of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to monocots (barley (Hordeum vulgare) and ryegrass (Secale cereale)) and dicots (canola (Brasica napus), radish (Raphanus sativus), field peas (Pisum sativum), and lucerne (Medicago sativa)) on media amended with fly ashes derived from semi-bituminous (gray ash) or lignite (red ash) coals at rates of 0, 2.5, 5.0, 10, or 20 Mg ha(-1). The red ash had higher elemental concentrations and salinity than the gray ash. Fly ash addition had no significant effect on germination by any of the six species. At moderate rates ({<=}10 Mg ha{sup -1}) both ashes increased (P < 0.05) growth rates and concentrations of chlorophylls a and b, but reduced carotenoid concentrations. Addition of either ash increased A in radish and transpiration in barley. Growth rates and final dry weights were reduced for all of the six test species when addition rates exceeded 10 Mg ha{sup -1} for gray ash and 5 Mg ha{sup -1} for red ash. We concluded that plant dry weights, rather than pigment concentrations and/or instantaneous rates of photosynthesis, are more consistent for assessing subsequent growth in plants supplied with fly ash.

The use of an industry waste, brown coal fly ash collected from the Latrobe Valley, Victoria, Australia, has been tested for the post-combustion CO(2) capture through indirect minersalization in acetic acid leachate. Upon the initial leaching, the majority of calcium and magnesium in fly ash were dissolved into solution, the carbonation potential of which was investigated subsequently through the use of a continuously stirred high-pressure autoclave reactor and the characterization of carbonation precipitates by various facilities. A large CO(2) capture capacity of fly ash under mild conditions has been confirmed. The CO(2) was fixed in both carbonate precipitates and water-soluble bicarbonate, and the conversion between these two species was achievable at approximately 60°C and a CO(2) partial pressure above 3 bar. The kinetic analysis confirmed a fast reaction rate for the carbonation of the brown coalash-derived leachate at a global activation energy of 12.7 kJ/mol. It is much lower than that for natural minerals and is also very close to the potassium carbonate/piperazine system. The CO(2) capture capacity of this system has also proven to reach maximum 264 kg CO(2)/ton fly ash which is comparable to the natural minerals tested in the literature. As the fly ash is a valueless waste and requires no comminution prior to use, the technology developed here is highly efficient and energy-saving, the resulting carbonate products of which are invaluable for the use as additive to cement and in the paper and pulp industry. PMID:22326240

Detailed coal and feedstock characteristics are essential to predict gasification performance when a specific coal source is to be gasified. One property that specifically gives detail information on the suitability of a coal source for gasification purposes is the ash fusion temperature (AFT). The AFT of a coal source indicates the extent to which ash agglomeration and ash clinkering are likely to occur within the gasifier. The principal aim of this paper is to obtain mineral species-specific information on ash properties and the specific affect on AFT. Chemical fractionation treatment resulted in coals having different mineral properties that can be used to explain the affect of specific minerals on the AFT of coal. The highest concentration and species of minerals were removed from the coal by acid leaching (HCl and HNO{sub 3}) where Al, Ca, Mg, Na and Fe were removed in high concentrations from the coal. The AFT of coal after leaching increased to {gt}1600{sup o}C. Based on the 95% confidence intervals depicted the following components can be highlighted as having a statistical significant effect on the AFT: Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}, CaO, MgO, P{sub 2}O{sub 5} and SiO{sub 2}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} combination. When mineral ratio was used, the best correlation coefficient ) with AFT was obtained with the dolomite ratio. This is in agreement with the results obtained from the correlations between the AFT and the ash composition where CaO and MgO resulted in the best correlation with AFT. Results presented in this paper again highlights the fact and confirmed work from other researchers that ash composition (elemental analyses) on its own does not explain AFT behavior or commercial performance of coal accurately. 14 refs., 6 figs., 6 tabs.

Approximately 5.4 million cubic yards of coal fly ash and water spilled into the Emory River embayment of Watts Bar Reservoir in east Tennessee on Dec 22, 2008. Raccoons were collected in 2009 and 2010 from the spill site (10/y) and unexposed areas (5/y) to determine whether metals and metalloids were accumulating in raccoons and if any negative health effects resulted from exposure to the spilled coal fly ash. Tissues were analyzed from each animal to determine the concentrations of 26 metals/metalloids. Complete blood cell counts (CBC), plasma biochemistry panels, and histopathology of select tissues also were performed. Results were analyzed by year and exposure status. Although significant differences were present in some tissues for some metals/metalloids, only arsenic in hair, iron in muscle, nickel in hair, selenium in hair and muscle, strontium in hair, and vanadium in hair and liver were increased in spill site animals (one or both years) compared with unexposed animals. No clinically important differences were observed between groups regarding CBC or plasma biochemistry analyses. Lesions were observed on histopathology in some tissues, but there was no difference in the prevalence of lesions between spill site and unexposed animals. There does not seem to be any important accumulation of metals/metalloids or negative health effects in raccoons associated with exposure to coal fly ash compared with unexposed animals. PMID:23292273

Presently, online coalash content monitoring is performed by PGNAA (Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analyses) machines. Laser Detect Systems has developed an online mineral analysis system using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS). The main advantages of the system are that it is without a radioactive source, compact (1.5 m x 0.8 m x 1.3 m), comparatively light (250 kg) and easy to install. The main disadvantage is that a LIBS system analyzes surface chemistry of the mineral exclusively and not the volume. To prove the LIBS machine analytical ability for coalash content evaluation, a trial was arranged at Optimum Colliery (South Africa). The LIBS machine was installed in line with a PGNAA machine and laboratory data served as a referee in the final assessment for analytical accuracy. The trial was carried out over a four month period. This paper presents the successful trial results achieved for accurate (at least +/- 0.5% mean absolute error) online coalash content monitoring

Sampling from the electric power plants of Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Hebei, Guangdong and Tianjin, coalash samples were determined respectively by HPGe γ spectrometer analyzer. The results show that the main composition of radioactive substances are 23'8U, 232Th, their daughter nuclides and 40K. The range of specific radioactivity for 238U is 93.2-283.8 Bq/kg, for 232Th, 80.3-238.8 Bq/kg and for 40K, 115.6-447.4 Bq/kg. When amount of the coalash applied is up to 675 t/hm2 the specific radioactivity of 226Ra and 228Ra are 3.56 and 2.60 times higher than those of control respectively. The increase of natural specific activity in soil varies with the amount of the coalash applied, the expression of coefficient curve for 228Ra is y = 22.04 x +17.25 (r2 0.9909) and for 226Ra, y = 21.38 x + 2.45 (r2 = 0.9966). The same trend is shown with absorbed dose in air (D) and the annual effective dose (H), for D, y = 1.896 x + 3.875 (r2 = 0.9891) and for H, y = 23.245 x + 47.505 (r2 0.9891)

Full Text Available Large quantities of coal fly ash (CFA are produced during combustion of coal in the production of electricity. Most of this ash has not been widely used. CFA is mainly composed of some oxides including Al2O3 and SiO2 having active site and unburnedcarbon as a mesopore that enables it to act as a dual site adsorbent. To get different characters of dual site, CFA was sieved using 150 mesh size, heated at 400oC and reactedwith sodium hydroxide solution. Furthermore, CFA was used as adsorbent of benzene in aqueous solutions. Equilibrium data were evaluated by single site and dual site isotherm models. It can be concluded that single site model yielded excellent fit with equilibrium data of benzene. The values of maximum concentration of adsorbate in solid surface (Cμm and Langmuir constant (KL are affected by [Si+Al]/C ratio in CFA. The increase of [Si+Al]/C ratio causes a decrease of qm and KL values.Keywords : coal fly ash, adsorption, benzene

A working procedure was developed for determining the degree of reaction of fly ash subjected to alkali activation (with 8 M NaOH) at mild temperatures. Since the reaction products dissolve in HCl, the residue left after this acid attack contains only the fraction of the original ash that failed to react with the basic solution. This residue was analysed with Rietveld XRPD quantification and NMR and the findings were compared to the results of the analyses run on the activated ash to obtain a very precise quantification of all of the (crystalline, vitreous and amorphous) phases present in the systems studied. 25 refs., 4 figs., 7 tabs.

The Italian National Electricity Board, in cooperation with Centro Informazioni Stubi Esperienze (CISE) has a program to assess the hazards connected with using fly ash in civil applications as partial substitutes for cement and other building materials. We investigated the natural radioactivity levels of more than 200 building materials. The survey involved materials available in Italy, categorized by geographical location and type of production. We also examined approximately 100 samples of fly ash from United States and South African coal, obtained from Italian power plants. Exhalation rates from about 40 powdered materials were determined by continuously measuring radon concentration growth in closed containers. Measurements were also performed on whole bricks, slabs, and titles. Details about the high-sensitivity measuring devices are presented. The influence of fly ash on exhalation rates was investigated by accurately measuring radon emanation from slabs with various ash/cement ratios and with slabs of inert materials having various radium concentrations. We will discuss results of forecasting indoor radon concentrations under different ventilation conditions. Two identical test rooms are being built, one with conventional and one with fly-ash building materials, to compare theoretical calculations with experimental data. Specifications for instruments to control and to measure the most important parameters are also discussed

Full Text Available In this study, the effects of ratios of dolomite, base/acid, silica, SiO2/Al2O3, and Fe2O3/CaO, base and acid oxides, and 11 oxides (SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, MgO, MnO, Na2O, K2O, Fe2O3, TiO2, P2O5, and SO3 on ash fusion temperatures for 1040 US coal samples from 12 states were evaluated using regression and adaptive neurofuzzy inference system (ANFIS methods. Different combinations of independent variables were examined to predict ash fusion temperatures in the multivariable procedure. The combination of the “11 oxides + (Base/Acid + Silica ratio” was the best predictor. Correlation coefficients (R2 of 0.891, 0.917, and 0.94 were achieved using nonlinear equations for the prediction of initial deformation temperature (IDT, softening temperature (ST, and fluid temperature (FT, respectively. The mentioned “best predictor” was used as input to the ANFIS system as well, and the correlation coefficients (R2 of the prediction were enhanced to 0.97, 0.98, and 0.99 for IDT, ST, and FT, respectively. The prediction precision that was achieved in this work exceeded that reported in previously published works.

Ash transformation and deposition in a pulverized wood-fired power plant boiler of 800 MWth were studied with and without the addition of coal fly ash. The transient ash deposition behavior was investigated by using an advanced deposit probe system at two different boiler locations with flue gas...... ash) to the boiler, these alkali species were effectively removed both in the fly ash and in the deposits, and a more frequent shedding of the deposits was observed. The results imply that coal fly ash can be an effective additive to reduce ash deposition and corrosion problems in a pulverized wood-fired...... at the low-temperature location showed a slow initial build-up and a stable mass of deposits after approximately 1-5 h. The deposits collected during pulverized wood combustion contained a considerable amount of K2SO4, KCl, and KOH/K2CO3. With the addition of coal fly ash (~4 times of the mass flow of wood...

Numerous large flow (> 2,000 l/min), historically (pre-1973) acidic, abandoned underground deep mine discharges in southwestern Pennsylvania are now alkaline in character, with circumneutral pH. Recently measured flow rates are consistent with those measured 25--30 years ago; thus the change in chemistry is not simply due to dilution by increased flows of uncontaminated water through the mines. It is likely that flooding of the mines has decreased the extent of acidity enhancing aerobic conditions, and that decades of weathering have reduced the amount of reactive pyrite. However, the mines continue to yield a sulfate-rich, Fe-contaminated (19--79 ppm) drainage. These highly alkaline discharges (up to 330 ppm as CaCO3) are accompanied by large concentrations of sodium (up to 700 ppm) and suggest cation exchange with the associated overburden. To assess the hydrogeological conditions that result in the formation of alkaline Fe-contaminated mine discharges, the authors examined all the major discharges from a single synclinal basin. The northeast-trending Irwin synclinal coal basin encompasses 94 mi2 and was extensively mined by underground methods during the first half of this century. All major streams that arise within or cross the syncline are polluted by mine drainage that ranges from highly acidic Fe- and Al-contaminated discharges in the northern portion of the syncline to highly alkaline, iron and sulfate-contaminated discharges to the south. The hydrology of the basin is controlled by its southern plunging structure, by outcrops or drainage tunnels on the western arms of the syncline, and by several coal barriers. A first-order hydrogeologic model was constructed to evaluate ground water flow into and through the mine complexes found in the basin. The model integrates the basin geometry with structural and mine barrier components to determine groundwater flow paths and estimate residence time. Water quality is related to the cumulative proportion of up

In this study, the float fraction ({lt} specific gravity of 2.0) of a size cut (63-90 {mu}m) bituminous coal was combusted in a drop tube furnace (DTF) at a gas temperature of 1300{degree}C under an atmosphere of air, to investigate the ash liberation at five coal burnoff levels (35.5%, 54.3%, 70.1%, 87.1% and 95.6%). The data indicated that char structure determines the ash liberation at different burnoff levels. Fragmentation of porous char was found to be the determinative mechanism for formation of fine ash during the early and middle stages of char combustion, while coalescence of included mineral matter determines the coarse ash formed in the later stages of combustion. The investigation confirmed that the char morphology and structure play a key role in determining char fragmentation, char burnout history, and the ash liberation during combustion. 35 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs.

Three fresh China coals (lignitie, bituminite and anthracite) from different geological origin and the corresponding fly and bottom ashes were studied by room temperature(RT) M(o)ssbauer spectroscopy(MS). The iron-bearing minerals were characterized to was found in bituminite and anthracite coal.The M(o)ssbauer spectra of the fly and bottom ashes as a result of pulverised coal combustion(PCC) in Xiaolongtan,Shuicheng and Luohuang Power Plants are comprised of superimposed sextets and doulets of oxides includes maghemite(γ-Fe2O3), magnitite(Fe3O4), haematite(α-Fe2O3), magnesioferite (MgFe2O4), Fe3+/Fe2+-mullite, Fe3+-glass silicate andmetallic iron. The studies also show that iron-bearing minerals in coals are largely dependant on geological regions and coal rank, the composition of the corresponding fly and bottom ashes will not only depend on the type and mineralogy of the feed coal but also on the local nature of combustion.

. The use of straw as a co-firing feedstock in traditional coal-fired plants is associated with operational problems, such as deposition, agglomeration, and/or corrosion, mainly because of the higher amounts of alkali metals and chlorine in straw compared to coal. This may lead to unscheduled shutdowns......Straw may be used today as a substitute fuel to lower the greenhouse gas emissions from traditional coalfired power plants and provide green-based electricity. It may also provide an alternative source of income to the local farmers helping the developed countries to support sustainable development...... and costly repairs, increasing the operational costs and the cost of the produced power. In this paper, the melting characteristics of several ash fractions sampled from different parts of a pilot-scale pulverized fuel (PF) boiler operating with different coal/straw mixtures is determined by measuring...

Full Text Available The synthesis of zeolites from South African coal fly ash has been deemed a viable solution to the growing economical strain caused by the disposal of ash in the country. Two synthesis routes have been studied thus far namely the 2-step method and the fusion assisted process. Fly ash contains several elements originating from coal which is incorporated in the ash during combustion. It is vital to determine the final destination of these elements in order to unveil optimization opportunities for scale-up purposes. The aim of this study was to perform a material balance study on both synthesis routes to determine the distributional fate of these elements during the synthesis of zeolites. Zeolites were first synthesized by means of the two synthesis routes. The composition of all raw materials and products were determined after which an overall and elemental balance were performed. Results indicated that in the 2-step method almost all elements were concentrated in the solid zeolite product while during the fusion assisted route the elements mostly report to the solid waste. Toxic elements such as Pb, Hg, Al, As and Nb were found in both the supernatant waste and washing water resulting from each synthesis route. It has also been seen that large quantities of Si and Al are wasted in the supernatant waste. It is highly recommended that the opportunity to recycle this liquid waste be investigated for scale-up purposes. Results also indicate that efficiency whereby Si and Al are extracted from fused ash is exceptionally poor and should be optimized.

Coal with low ash content has an important role in the coal and steel industry. There are different methods to measure the ash content. The conventional method which is used in most coal mines of Iran, is to burn the coal and measure the remaining ash. A new method has been recently developed at Nuclear Research Center of Iran, which works on the basis of the ob sorption of the dual energy γ-ray by coal. In this paper we present the results obtained from coal mine Zirab, Central Alborz, Iranto which we have applied this method, and compared the results with those obtained by the conventional method. In addition, the chemical components of the coal samples from six layers of this mine was obtained by X-ray fluorescence. We have found that for SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2, Na2O and K2O there exists a linear relationship between these components and the ash content, but such a relationship was not obtained for Fe2O3, Ca O, SO3 and Mg O

A significant proportion of fly ash from coal-fired plant in Europe is currently used as a constituent of cements and mortars or for the manufacture of concrete and lightweight insulating materials. Similarly, a substantial amount of the gypsum produced from wet limestone and wet lime flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) processes employed in many coal-fired plant is used in the manufacture of cements, wallboards and other construction materials. Despite this, however, considerable quantities of fly ash, particularly that with a high carbon content, and desulphurisation residues, particularly non-gypsum ones, currently have no commercial applications. Disposal of these residues is costly and creates environmental problems. As a result, there is considerable interest in most European countries in developing processes for upgrading these residues into construction materials. Through a collaborative European initiate, a laboratory-scale process was developed to produce calcium sulphoaluminate (CSA) cements using high carbon content fly ash and FGD residues, particularly non-gypsum ones. Samples from a number of European coal-fired power plant were used in the development of this process. The cements produced look attractive for application as replacements for Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), constituents of blended cement and constituents of ready mixed and pre-cast concretes. Further work is now required to optimise the process to manufacture CSA cements and to demonstrate them at pilot scale prior to commercialisation. Approaches have been made to power plant operators regarding the construction and trial operation of a pilot-scale CSA cement production facility at a European coal-fired power station. 3 figs., 3 tabs.

Full Text Available Currently a lot of power plants have a problem with storage of coal combustion solid by-products (ash and slag. Holding capacity of existing power plants available ash dumps were enlarged and modernized repeatedly. Many plants have two or even three of them. Today new ash dump construction is economically inconvenient due to need to assign new plots of land and their inconveniently big distance from a plant, which increase ash and slag transportation expenses. The goal of our research work is to find promising directions for ash and slag waste mass utilization based on Kuznetsk bituminous coals experimental data on ultimate composition and properties. The experimental research of ash, slag and their mixture samples from ash dumps brought us to conclusion that the most promising direction for these materials application in large quantities is construction industry including road construction. Be-sides, we lined up some other directions for ash, slag, and ash and slag mixture possible application. These directions might not provide mass utilization but they are promising from a point of view of the researched waste properties.

Full Text Available Ash deposition on heat transfer surfaces is still a significant problem in coal-fired power plant utility boilers. The effective ways to deal with this problem are accurate on-line monitoring of ash fouling and soot-blowing. In this paper, an online ash fouling monitoring model based on dynamic mass and energy balance method is developed and key variables analysis technique is introduced to study the internal behavior of soot-blowing system. In this process, artificial neural networks (ANN are used to optimize the boiler soot-blowing model and mean impact values method is utilized to determine a set of key variables. The validity of the models has been illustrated in a real case-study boiler, a 300MW Chinese power station. The results on same real plant data show that both models have good prediction accuracy, while the ANN model II has less input parameters. This work will be the basis of a future development in order to control and optimize the soot-blowing of the coal-fired power plant utility boilers.

Eight medium amendments were conducted on top of a fine ashcoal dump (i) to evaluate a few cost-effective treatments that could determine the minimum fertility status required for the local ash to support the establishment of a viable vegetation cover, and (ii) to select suitable grass species that would establish on the ash and could serve as a foundation for long-term rehabilitation. Degree and success of grass establishment per medium amelioration treatment is expressed in terms of total biomass, percentage basal cover, and in terms of a condition assessment model. Both the chemical and physical nature of the ash medium before and after amendment was characterized, as were the concentrations of some essential and potentially toxic elements in leaf samples. In terms of medium amelioration 5000 kg ha{sup {minus}1} compost, or 500 kg ha{sup {minus}1} kraal manure or 480 kg 2:3:2 ha{sup {minus}1} proved to be most effective. The grass species that occurred with the highest frequency, irrespective of treatment, were the perennials bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) pers. var dactylon], weeping lovegrass [Eragrostis curvula (Schrader) Nees], and the annual teff [Eragrostis tef (Zuccagni) Trotter]. Of the potentially toxic extractable metals monitored in the leaves of vegetation on the dump, only Se accumulated to an average level of 4.4 mg kg{sup {minus}1} that could be toxic to livestock.

Coal combustion by-product fly ash was converted selectively into faujasite (Y type) zeolite and was used as a catalytic material. Fused fly ash powder and supernatant were used in the synthesis of Y type zeolite. The prepared Na-Y zeolites were characterized and ion-exchanged followed by calcination to obtain H-Y. The catalytic properties of the solid obtained were evaluated using cumene cracking and compared with those of commercially available (standard) zeolites. It was found that most of the Si and Al components in the fly ash could be effectively transformed into Y type zeolite in the presence of seeds but not the mineral phase, such as mullite. Moreover, the supernatant of the fused powder solution can produce purer faujasites and the sediment can be reused to generate solution for the further preparation of zeolites. Investigation by NMR demonstrated that fusion plays an important role in enhancing the hydrothermal conditions for zeolite synthesis. The H-Y zeolite derived from the supernatant of fly ash solution shows excellent cracking activity compared to that of standard.

A lithium battery is composed of anode, cathode and a separator. The performance of lithium battery is also influenced by the conductive material of cathode film. In this research, the use of fly ash from coal combustion as conductive enhancer for increasing the performances of lithium battery was investigated. Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) was used as the active material of cathode. The dry fly ash passed through 200 mesh screen, LiFePO4 and acethylene black (AB), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as a binder and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) as a solvent were mixed to form slurry. The slurry was then coated, dried and hot pressed to obtain the cathode film. The ratio of fly ash and AB were varied at the values of 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% while the other components were at constant. The anode film was casted with certain thickness and composition. The performance of battery lithium was examined by Eight Channel Battery Analyzer, the composition of the cathode film was examined by XRD (X-Ray Diffraction), and the structure and morphology of the anode film was analyzed by SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope). The composition, structure and morphology of cathode film was only different when fly ash added was 4% of AB or more. The addition of 2% of AB on cathode film gave the best performance of 81.712 mAh/g on charging and 79.412 mAh/g on discharging

A lithium battery is composed of anode, cathode and a separator. The performance of lithium battery is also influenced by the conductive material of cathode film. In this research, the use of fly ash from coal combustion as conductive enhancer for increasing the performances of lithium battery was investigated. Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO{sub 4}) was used as the active material of cathode. The dry fly ash passed through 200 mesh screen, LiFePO{sub 4} and acethylene black (AB), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as a binder and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) as a solvent were mixed to form slurry. The slurry was then coated, dried and hot pressed to obtain the cathode film. The ratio of fly ash and AB were varied at the values of 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% while the other components were at constant. The anode film was casted with certain thickness and composition. The performance of battery lithium was examined by Eight Channel Battery Analyzer, the composition of the cathode film was examined by XRD (X-Ray Diffraction), and the structure and morphology of the anode film was analyzed by SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope). The composition, structure and morphology of cathode film was only different when fly ash added was 4% of AB or more. The addition of 2% of AB on cathode film gave the best performance of 81.712 mAh/g on charging and 79.412 mAh/g on discharging.

A lithium battery is composed of anode, cathode and a separator. The performance of lithium battery is also influenced by the conductive material of cathode film. In this research, the use of fly ash from coal combustion as conductive enhancer for increasing the performances of lithium battery was investigated. Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) was used as the active material of cathode. The dry fly ash passed through 200 mesh screen, LiFePO4 and acethylene black (AB), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as a binder and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) as a solvent were mixed to form slurry. The slurry was then coated, dried and hot pressed to obtain the cathode film. The ratio of fly ash and AB were varied at the values of 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% while the other components were at constant. The anode film was casted with certain thickness and composition. The performance of battery lithium was examined by Eight Channel Battery Analyzer, the composition of the cathode film was examined by XRD (X-Ray Diffraction), and the structure and morphology of the anode film was analyzed by SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope). The composition, structure and morphology of cathode film was only different when fly ash added was 4% of AB or more. The addition of 2% of AB on cathode film gave the best performance of 81.712 mAh/g on charging and 79.412 mAh/g on discharging.

The paper is addressed to the development and use different criteria for evaluation of ash deposits collected during experimental co-firing of Bosnian coals with wooden biomass. Spruce saw dust was used for the co-firing tests with the Kakanj brown coal and with a lignite blend consisted of the Dubrave lignite and the Sikulje lignite. The coal/biomass mixtures at 93:7 %w and at 80:20 %w were tested. Experimental lab-scale facility PF entrained flow reactor is used for the co-firing tests. The reactor allows examination of fouling/slagging behaviors and emissions at various and infinitely variable process temperature which can be set at will in the range from ambient to 1560 C. Ash deposits are collected on two non-cooled ceramic probes and one water-cooled metal surface. Six different criteria are developed and used to evaluate behavior of the ash deposits on the probes: ash deposit shape, state and structure, which are analyzed visually - photographically and optically by a microscope, rate of adhesion and ash deposit strength, analyzed by physic acting to the ash deposits, and finally deposition rate, determined as a mass of the deposit divided by the collecting area and the time of collecting. Furthermore, chemical composition analysis and AFT of the ash deposits were also done to provide additional information on the deposits. (orig.)

EPA, the White House, and electric utilities are stalled in a struggle over a proposed new rule on coalash disposal. Although this rule is long overdue, EPA now stands on the cusp of bringing forward a landmark decision that could benefit aquatic resources in the USA for decades to come and also set an important regulatory leadership example for the international community to follow. However, multi-million dollar wildlife losses are continuing to pile up as things stall in Washington. In this commentary I use a newly reported example, Wildlife Damage Case 23, to further illustrate serious flaws in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System that EPA's new rule can address. Case 23 provides additional impetus for EPA and the White House to move swiftly and decisively to end surface impoundment disposal of coalash and the associated toxic impacts to wildlife. - Wildlife poisoning from coal combustion waste shows how regulatory policy is influenced by politics and industry rather than prudent decisions based on credible scientific investigation

A low background γ-ray detection system has been constructed for measuring the natural radioactivity in coal samples. It is based on a high-purity Ge detector mounted within a massive lead shield which reduces the normal background level by a factor of about 20. This makes it possible to measure the low intensity γ-rays from the natural radioactivity present in the samples. Using this equipment uranium and thorium concentrations in coal fly ash and bottom ash samples from a coal fired power plant located at Bathinda, India have been measured. The uranium activity found in the samples is within the range of concentrations observed in other countries while the thorium activity is found to be somewhat higher. (Author)

The investigation presented here was conducted during a wider experiment on the technical feasibility and environmental impacts of tire combustion in a Brazilian coal-fired power station. Nanometric-sized crystalline phases in fly ash were characterised using energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) images. The nanoparticles, which register abundance peaks at 10 nm and 100 nm, include iron-rich oxide (e.g. hematite), Fe-sulphate (e.g., yavapaiite: KFe(SO4)2), and Fe-aluminumsilicate glass. Individual metalliferous nanoparticles have a heterogeneous microstructure in which elements such as iron, aluminum and silicon are not uniformly distributed. HR-TEM offers a powerful analytical technique in the study of fly ash nanoparticles, providing a better understanding of the detailed chemistry of this potentially strongly bioreactive component of atmospheric particulate matter.

The development and implementation of standard toxicity tests is a necessity if consistent and reliable data are to be obtained for water quality criteria. The adapted EPA AAPBT is an ideal static algal toxicity test system. The algal test medium has a chemical composition similar to natural unpolluted waters of low ionic strength. It is appropriate to use MATC water quality criteria when assessing the potential impact of pollutants generated by coal-fired power stations because these energy-generated pollutants typically enter aquatic systems in small quantities over long periods. The MATC water quality criteria are estimates of trace element and SASE levels, based on the most sensitive alga investigated, that will not cause significant changes in naturally-functioning algal populations. These levels are 0.016f mg L/sup -1/ As(V), 0.001 mg L/sup -1/ Cd(II), 0.004 mg L/sup -1/ Hg(II), 0.006 mg L/sup -1/ Se(VI), and 0.344% SASE. To provide viable working water quality criteria, an extrapolation from the laboratory to the natural environment must be made. Therefore, those oxidation states of the trace elements were selected which are the dominant states occurring in natural, unpolluted, slightly alkaline freshwaters. It must be pointed out that these MATC values are based on algal responses to single toxicants and no allowance is made for synergistic, additive, or antagonistic relationships which could occur in natural aquatic systems. Additionally, natural chelation may influence toxicity. The highly toxic nature of potential pollutants from coal-fired generating plants emphasizes the need for minimizing stack effluent pollutants and retaining scrubber ash slurry for proper disposal in an effort to maintain trace elements in concentration ranges compatible with naturally-functioning ecosystems.

Highlights: • Fly-ash based oxygen carriers were synthesised for chemical looping combustion of synthesis gas. • Using fly-ash as the support of the oxygen carrier enhanced the thermal stability and oxidant transfer for fuel oxidation. • Fly-ash based nickel oxide reformed hydrocarbons into carbon monoxide with the presence of carbon dioxide. - Abstract: The performance of coal fly-ash based oxygen carriers for chemical looping combustion of synthesis gas has been investigated using both a thermogravimetric analyser and a packed bed reactor. Oxygen carriers with 50 wt% active metal compounds, including copper, nickel and iron oxides, supported on coal fly-ash were synthesised using the deposition–precipitation method. Copper oxide and nickel oxide supported on fly-ash showed high oxygen transfer efficiency and oxygen carrying capacity at 800 °C. The fly-ash based nickel oxide was effective in reforming hydrocarbons and for the conversion of carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide; a nickel complex with silicate was identified as a minor phase following the reduction reaction. The fly-ash based iron oxide showed various reduction steps and resulted in an extended reduction time. The carbon emission at the oxidation stage was avoided by reducing the length of the exposure to the reduction gas

Nine fly ash samples were collected from the particulate collection devices (baghouse or electrostatic precipitator) of four full-scale pulverized coal (PC) utility boilers burning eastern bituminous coals (EB-PC ashes) and three cyclone utility boilers burning either Powder River Basin (PRB) coals or PRB blends,(PRB-CYC ashes). As-received fly ash samples were mechanically sieved to obtain six size fractions. Unburned carbon (UBC) content, mercury content, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET)-N2 surface areas of as-received fly ashes and their size fractions were measured. In addition, UBC particles were examined by scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission microscopy, and thermogravimetry to obtain information on their surface morphology, structure, and oxidation reactivity. It was found that the UBC particles contained amorphous carbon, ribbon-shaped graphitic carbon, and highly ordered graphite structures. The mercury contents of the UBCs (Hg/UBC, in ppm) in raw ash samples were comparable to those of the UBC-enriched samples, indicating that mercury was mainly adsorbed on the UBC in fly ash. The UBC content decreased with a decreasing particle size range for all nine ashes. There was no correlation between the mercury and UBC contents of different size fractions of as-received ashes. The mercury content of the UBCs in each size fraction, however, generally increased with a decreasing particle size for the nine ashes. The mercury contents and surface areas of the UBCs in the PRB-CYC ashes were about 8 and 3 times higher than UBCs in the EB-PC ashes, respectively. It appeared that both the particle size and surface area of UBC could contribute to mercury capture. The particle size of the UBC in PRB-CYC ash and thus the external mass transfer was found to be the major factor impacting the mercury adsorption. Both the particle size and surface reactivity of the UBC in EB-PC ash, which generally had a lower carbon oxidation reactivity than the PRB

In dryland environments, biocrusts are considered ecosystem engineers since they play significant roles in ecosystem processes. In the successional pathway of crust communities, the new areas are colonized after disturbance by pioneers such as filamentous cyanobacteria - Microcoleus spp. This stage is followed by colonization of green algae, mosses, and lichens. Aggregation of soil granules is caused by metabolic polysaccharides secreted by cyanobacteria and green algae, gluing the soil particles to form the crust layer. It was suggested that incorporating dust into the biocrusts encourages the growth of cyanobacteria, leading to a strengthening of the biocrusts' cohesion. Moreover, biocrusts cover a larger portion of the surface when the soil contains finer particles, and it was observed that at least 4-5% of clay and silt is required to support a measurable biocrust. While natural and undisturbed sand dunes are generally stabilized by biocrusts in the north-western Negev desert, stabilization of disturbed and movable sand dunes is one of the main problems in this desertified land, as in vast areas in the world. Daily breezes and seasonal wind storms transport sand particles to populated and agricultural areas causing damages to field crops and livelihood. Moving sand dunes consist of relatively coarse grains (250-2000 μm) with a low percent of clay and silt. This phenomenon negatively affects cyanobacterial colonization rate, even in relatively wet desert areas (100-250 mm rainfalls). In order to face the problem it was suggested to enrich the dune surface by using coal fly-ash. The research was conducted in two stages: first, examining the feasibility in Petri-dishes in laboratory conditions and in Experimental Aeolian Greenhouse conditions. The results showed that adding coal fly-ash and biocrust inoculum increased aggregate stability, penetration resistance and shear strength, as opposed to the control-sand plot. Using mobile wind-tunnel simulations, sand

To study the influence of local conditions on the reaction between gaseous KCl and kaolin or coal fly ash experiments were done on CHECs electrically heated entrained flow reactor, which can simulate the local conditions in suspension fired boilers. The experimental results were compared with model...... studied. Due to not completely well controlled conditions during the experiments only preliminary conclusions can be provided. For experiments done at 1100°C with a molar ratio of K/Si=0.3 and a residence time of 1.07s approximately 80% of potassium from KCl reacted with kaolin. A changed temperature...

This study aims to investigate a new and sustainable approach for the reuse of industrial by-products from wastewater treatment. The dairy industry produces huge volumes of wastewater, characterized by high levels of phosphate that can result in eutrophication and degradation of aquatic ecosystems. This study evaluated the application of acid mine drainage (AMD) sludge, coal fly ash, and lignite as low-cost adsorbents for the removal of phosphate from dairy wastewater. Material characterization using X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis revealed significant amounts of crystalline/amorphous Fe/Al/Si/Ca-based minerals and large surface areas of AMD sludge and fly ash. Batch adsorption isotherms were best described using the Freundlich model. The Freundlich distribution coefficients were 13.7 mg(0.577) L(0.423) g(-1) and 16.9 mg(0.478) L(0.522) g(-1) for AMD sludge and fly ash, respectively, and the nonlinearity constants suggested favourable adsorption for column applications. The breakthrough curves of fixed-bed columns, containing greater than 10 wt% of the waste materials (individual or composite blends) mixed with sand, indicated that phosphate breakthrough did not occur within 100 pore volumes while the cumulative removal was 522 and 490 mg kg(-1) at 10 wt% AMD sludge and 10 wt% fly ash, respectively. By contrast, lignite exhibited negligible phosphate adsorption, possibly due to small amounts of inorganic minerals suitable for phosphate complexation and limited surface area. The results suggest that both AMD sludge and fly ash were potentially effective adsorbents if employed individually at a ratio of 10 wt% or above for column application. PMID:24617077

Removal of vertigo blue dye from batik textile wastewater was studied by adsorptionprocess onto activated carbon (AC) and coal bottom ash (CBA).The influence of experimental conditions (pH solution, dye concentration, and contact time) were studied on the both adsorbents. At equilibrium conditions, the data were fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models. The maximum adsorption capacity calculated from the Langmuir model for carbon active was 6.29mg/g at pH that found to be considerably higher than that obtained for coal bottom ash 3.72mg/g pH 9. From Freundlich model, the maximum adsorption capacity is less for coal bottom ash (pH 9) than that for carbon active (pH4).

This report deals with the extension of the NERDDP project 'Fly Ash Formation and Sulphation during the combustion of Brown Coal', completed in 1987, and describes improvements in the computer code SCCOFF, which simulates the chemical kinetics of brown coal combustion. Modification of SCCOFF has improved its user interface, allowed time-temperature profiles and constant pressure conditions to be included in SCCOFF's numerical integration routines, calculates sulphuric acid dewpoints, and combustion heat relase profiles. A sensitivity analysis of hypothetical sodium silicate reactions has been carried out. The results show that the extent and rate of formation of sodium silicate is not critically dependent on the rate constants of the proposed reaction scheme. The formation of sodium sulphate however, shows great sensitivity to the rate of sodium silicate formation. It is planned to produce an engineering version of SCCOFF. This can be accomplished through collaboration with research groups in the United States.

The chemical and mineralogical composition of fly ash samples collected from laboratory scale circulating fluidised bed (CFB) combustion facility have been investigated. Three fly ashes were collected from the second cyclone in a 50 kW laboratory scale boiler, after the combustion of different solid fuels. Characterisation of the fly ash samples was conducted by means of X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Quantitative analysis of the crystalline (mineral) and amorphous phases in each ash sample was carried out using the Rietveld-based Siroquant system, with an added spike of ZnO to evaluate the amorphous content. SiO2 is the dominant oxide in the fly ashes, with CaO, Al2O3 and Fe2O3 also present in significant proportions. XRD results show that all three fly ashes contain quartz, anhydrite, hematite, illite and amorphous phases. The minerals calcite, feldspar, lime and periclase are present in ashes derived from Polish coal and/or woodchips. Ash from FBC combustion of a Greek lignite contains abundant illite, whereas illite is present only in minor proportions in the other ash samples.

The chemical and mineralogical composition of fly ash samples collected from laboratory scale circulating fluidised bed (CFB) combustion facility have been investigated. Three fly ashes were collected from the second cyclone in a 50 kW laboratory scale boiler, after the combustion of different solid fuels. Characterisation of the fly ash samples was conducted by means of X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Quantitative analysis of the crystalline (mineral) and amorphous phases in each ash sample was carried out using the Rietveld-based Siroquant system, with an added spike of ZnO to evaluate the amorphous content. SiO{sub 2} is the dominant oxide in the fly ashes, with CaO, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} also present in significant proportions. XRD results show that all three fly ashes contain quartz, anhydrite, hematite, illite and amorphous phases. The minerals calcite, feldspar, lime and periclase are present in ashes derived from Polish coal and/or woodchips. Ash from FBC combustion of a Greek lignite contains abundant illite, whereas illite is present only in minor proportions in the other ash samples.

The chemical and mineralogical composition of fly ash samples collected from laboratory scale circulating fluidised bed (CFB) combustion facility have been investigated. Three fly ashes were collected from the second cyclone in a 50 kW laboratory scale boiler, after the combustion of different solid fuels. Characterisation of the fly ash samples was conducted by means of X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Quantitative analysis of the crystalline (mineral) and amorphous phases in each ash sample was carried out using the Rietveld-based Siroquant system, with an added spike of ZnO to evaluate the amorphous content. SiO{sub 2} is the dominant oxide in the fly ashes, with CaO, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} also present in significant proportions. XRD results show that all three fly ashes contain quartz, anhydrite, hematite, illite and amorphous phases. The minerals calcite, feldspar, lime and periclase are present in ashes derived from Polish coal and/or woodchips. Ash from FBC combustion of a Greek lignite contains abundant illite, whereas illite is present only in minor proportions in the other ash samples.

An active absorbent for flue gas desulfurization was prepared from coal bottom ash, calcium oxide (CaO) and calcium sulfate by hydro-thermal process. The absorbent was examined for its micro-structural properties. The experiments conducted were based on Design Of Experiments (DOE) according to 23 factorial design. The effect of various absorbent preparation variables such as ratio of CaO to bottom ash (A), hydration temperature (B) and hydration period (C) towards the BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Tel...

Pentannual surveys of the production of coal combustion byproducts in Kentucky utility power plants, along with other studies in the intervening years has resulted in a large amount of data relating coal chemistry, fly ash (FA) chemistry, and, to a lesser degree, bottom ash chemistry. Therefore, this important collection of data enables to perform studies on a wide variety of fly ash types. The chemical classification, based on major oxides (acid, alkaline, and Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}), of coal high-temperature ash (HTA) and FA from Kentucky Power Plants shows that the majority of the coal HTAs are Sialic, Sialic-Ferrisialic, and Ferrisialic. The FA classification not only depends of the coal HTA chemistry but also the ash-collection system and the sampling position, with the implications of flue gas temperature and ash particle size, within the system. (author)

Culture-independent molecular biological techniques, including 16S rRNA gene and functional gene clone libraries and microarray analyses using pmoA (encoding a key subunit of particulate methane monooxygenase), were applied to investigate the methanotroph community structure in alkaline soil from a Chinese coal mine. This environment contained a high diversity of methanotrophs, including the type II methanotrophs Methylosinus/Methylocystis, type I methanotrophs related to Methylobacter/Methylosoma and Methylococcus, and a number of as yet uncultivated methanotrophs. In order to identify the metabolically active methane-oxidizing bacteria from this alkaline environment, DNA stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) experiments using {sup 13}CH{sub 4} were carried out. This showed that both type I and type II methanotrophs were active, together with methanotrophs related to Methylocella, which had previously been found only in acidic environments. Methylotrophs, including Methylopila and Hyphomicrobium, were also detected in soil DNA and after DNA-SIP experiments. DNA sequence information on the most abundant, active methanotrophs in this alkaline soil will facilitate the design of oligonucleotide probes to monitor enrichment cultures when isolating key alkaliphilic methanotrophs from such environments.

This study focuses on the synthesis of merlinoite from Chinese coal fly ashes by KOH direct conversion method, with special emphasis on the application of synthetic merlinoite as fertilizer. These fly ashes were collected from two pulverized-coal combustion (PCC) power plants in Xinjiang, Northwest China. The synthesis results are influenced by fly ash characteristics and different synthesis conditions (KOH solution concentrations, activation temperature, time, and KOH/fly ash ratios). A high quality merlinoite-rich product was synthesized under optimal activation conditions (KOH concentration of 5M, activation temperature of 150°C, activation time of 8h and KOH/fly ash ratio of 2l/kg), with a cation exchange capacity (CEC) of 160cmolkg(-1). The synthetic merlinoite is proved to be an efficient slow release K-fertilizer for plant growth, indicating that it can be widely used for high-nutrient demanding crops growing in nutrient-limited soils and for large-area poor soil amendment in opencast coal mine areas around the power plants that will substantially grow with the increasing coal combustion in Xinjiang in the near future. PMID:24365875

Fly ash, a coal combustion residue of thermal power plants and a source of multiple pollutants, has been recognized as an environmental hazard all over the world. Although it is known that fly ash effluent affects density, diversity and distribution of rotifers in drainage systems and receiving water bodies, the effect of fly ash effluent on the distributions of highly similar rotifer species remains unknown. In this study, the mtDNA COI genes of 90 individuals in Brachionus calyciflorus complex from Lake Hui (as a fly ash discharge water pond) and other two neighboring lakes (Lake Fengming and Lake Tingtang) were sequenced and analyzed, and the responses in selected life table demographic parameters (life expectancy at hatching, net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of population increase and proportion of sexual offspring) of different rotifer populations to fly ash effluent were investigated. Overall, 72 mtDNA haplotypes were defined, and were split into two clades by the phylogenetic trees. The divergence of COI gene sequences between the two clades ranged from 11.8% to17.8%, indicating the occurrence of two sibling species (sibling species I and sibling species II). Sibling species I distributed in all the three lakes, showing strong capabilities for dispersal and colonization, which were supported by its higher level of gene flow (2.60-4.04) between the populations from Lake Hui and each of the other two lakes, longer life expectancy at hatching (101.6-148.2 h), and higher net reproductive rate (4.4-16.4 offspring/female) and intrinsic rate of population increase (0.60-0.98/d) when cultured in aerated tap water and fly ash effluent. Sibling species II distributed in both Lake Tingtang and Lake Fengming, showing that its dispersal existed between the two lakes. Considering that the distance between Lake Hui and Lake Fengming is shorter than that between Lake Tingtang and Lake Fengming, sibling species II is able to disperse at least from Lake Fengming to Lake

A novel process for increasing -SiC yield on solid state reaction of coal fly ash and micro powder activated carbon powder has been proposed. -SiC powder was synthesized at temperature 1300°C for 2 h under vacuum condition with 1 l/min argon flow. Cycling synthesis process has been developed for increasing -SiC yield on solid state reaction of coal fly ash and activated carbon powder. Synthesized products were analyzed by XRD with Cu-K radiation, FTIR spectrometer and SEM fitted with EDAX. The results show that the amount of relative -SiC is increased with the number of cycling synthesis.

In Part 1 of the present investigation, 37 representative Eocene coal samples of Meghalaya, India were analyzed and their physico-chemical characteristics and the major oxides and minerals present in ash samples were studied for assessing the genesis of these coals. Various statistical tools were also applied to study their genesis. The datasets from Part 1 used in this investigation (Part 2) show the contribution of major oxides towards ash fusion temperatures (AFTs). The regression analysis of high temperature ash (HTA) composition and initial deformation temperature (IDT) show a definite increasing or decreasing trend, which has been used to determine the predictive indices for slagging, fouling, and abrasion propensities during combustion practices. The increase or decrease of IDT is influenced by the increase of Fe2O3, Al2O3, SiO2, and CaO, respectively. Detrital-authigenic index (DAI) calculated from the ash composition and its relation with AFT indicates Sialoferric nature of these coals. The correlation analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) were used to study the possible fouling, slagging, and abrasion potentials in boilers during the coal combustion processes. A positive relationship between slagging and heating values of the coal has been found in this study.

In Part 1 of the present investigation, 37 representative Eocene coal samples of Meghalaya, India were analyzed and their physico-chemical characteristics and the major oxides and minerals present in ash samples were studied for assessing the genesis of these coals. Various statistical tools were also applied to study their genesis. The datasets from Part 1 used in this investigation (Part 2) show the contribution of major oxides towards ash fusion temperatures (AFTs). The regression analysis of high temperature ash (HTA) composition and initial deformation temperature (IDT) show a definite increasing or decreasing trend, which has been used to determine the predictive indices for slagging, fouling, and abrasion propensities during combustion practices. The increase or decrease of IDT is influenced by the increase of Fe2O3, Al2O3, SiO2, and CaO, respectively. Detrital-authigenic index (DAI) calculated from the ash composition and its relation with AFT indicates Sialoferric nature of these coals. The correlation analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) were used to study the possible fouling, slagging, and abrasion potentials in boilers during the coal combustion processes. A positive relationship between slagging and heating values of the coal has been found in this study.

The four participating laboratories measured the concentrations of 37 elements in NBS standard coal (SRM 1632) and 41 in fly ash (SRM 1633). Most of the measurements were done by instrumental neutron activation analysis, which was done by each of the laboratories. In addition, one laboratory used instrumental photon activation analysis and another counted the natural radioactivity to determine concentrations of K, Th, and U. The results obtained are in good agreement with the values given by NBS for the twelve elements in each material for which both they and we have values. For most elements for which comparisons can be made, the interlaboratory dispersion of results obtained in this work is much less than was obtained in a recent round-robin analysis of these materials by many laboratories using a variety of techniques. Average concentrations for the 37 elements in the coal standard and 41 elements in the fly ash standard are presented for comparison with results that may be obtained by other laboratories. (U.S.)

The coal unburned in flying ashes obtained in the processes of coal combustion is the main disadvantage for its use in the industry of the construction. This material normally has a size of particle greater than the mineral material, therefore it is possible to be separated in a considerable percentage, obtaining double benefit: the reusability of unburned like fuel or precursor for the activated charcoal production and the use of the mineral material in the industry of the construction since the organic matter has retired him that disables its use. In this work it is experienced with a sifted technique of separation by for three obtained flying ash samples with different technology (travelling Grill, pneumatic injection and overturning grill), were made grain sized analyses with meshes of a diameter of particle greater to 0,589 mm, the short analyses were made to them next to the retained material in each mesh and the unburned percentage of removal was determined of. The technique was compared with other developing.

Full Text Available Coal fly ash with the addition of Al2O3 was recycled to produce mullite/alumina composites and the camphene-based freeze casting technique was processed to develop a controlled porous structure with improved mechanical strength. Many rod-shaped mullite crystals, formed by the mullitization of coal fly ash in the presence of enough silicate, melt. After sintering at 1300–1500 °C with the initial solid loadings of 30–50 wt.%, interconnected macro-sized pore channels with nearly circular-shaped cross-sections developed along the macroscopic solidification direction of camphene solvent used in freeze casting and a few micron-sized pores formed in the walls of the pore channels. The macro-pore size of the mullite/alumina composites was in the range 20–25 μm, 18–20 μm and 15–17 μm with reverse dependence on the sintering temperature at 30, 40 and 50 wt.% solid loading, respectively. By increasing initial solid loading and the sintering temperature, the sintered porosity was reduced from 79.8% to 31.2%, resulting in an increase in the compressive strength from 8.2 to 80.4 MPa.

This paper describes the results of culturing tests on different kinds of vegetables using the Extragreen fertilizer (a new fertilizer) that utilizes coalash. The new fertilizer consists of aqueous phosphoric acid solution mixed uniformly with such fertilizer materials as nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potassium, and then mixed with coalash so that it solidifies naturally. As a result of comparative discussions with fertilizers having been used by farmers, the use of the new fertilizer resulted in yield increase by 10% to several ten percent in cabbage, white radish, taro, and Chinese yam, and several percent to 10% in Chinese cabbage and paddy rice. With regard to quality, leaf vegetables such as cabbage had slow fresh weight reduction rate after harvest, with long lasting freshness. Root vegetables such as white radish, potato, Chinese yam, and sweet potato had their sweetness increased and their colors retained fresher, raising their commercial value. The present fertilizer showed a trend of reducing such continuous cropping injuries (soil diseases) as the root-knot disease in cabbage, the powder scab in potato, and the brown rots and root rots in Chinese yam. 5 figs.

The demand for germanium in the field of semiconductor, electronics, and optical devices is growing rapidly; however, the resources of germanium are scarce worldwide. As a secondary material, coal fly ash could be further recycled to retrieve germanium. Up to now, the conventional processes to recover germanium have two problems as follows: on the one hand, it is difficult to be satisfactory for its economic and environmental effect; on the other hand, the recovery ratio of germanium is not all that could be desired. In this paper, an environmentally-friendly vacuum reduction metallurgical process (VRMP) was proposed to recover germanium from coal fly ash. The results of the laboratory scale experiments indicated that the appropriate parameters were 1173K and 10Pa with 10wt% coke addition for 40min, and recovery ratio germanium was 93.96%. On the basis of above condition, the pilot scale experiments were utilized to assess the actual effect of VRMP for recovery of germanium with parameter of 1473K, 1-10Pa and heating time 40min, the recovery ratio of germanium reached 94.64%. This process considerably enhances germanium recovery, meanwhile, eliminates much of the water usage and residue secondary pollution compared with other conventional processes. PMID:27015376

Combustion experiments for three coals of different ranks were conducted in an electrically-heated drop tube furnace. The size distributions of major elements in the residual ash particles (＞0.4μm) such as AI, Si, S, P, Na, Mg, K, Ca and Fe were investigated. The experimental results showed that the concentrations of AI and Si in the residual ash particles decreased with decreasing particle size, while the concentrations of S and P increased with decreasing particle size. No consistent size distributions were obtained for Na, Mg, K, Ca and Fe. The established deposition model accounting for trace element distributions was demonstrated to be applicable to some major elements as well. The modeling results indicated that the size distributions of the refractory elements, AI and Si, were mainly influenced by the deposition of vaporized elements on particle surfaces. A dominant fraction of S and P vaporized during coal combustion. Their size distributions were determined by surface condensation, reaction or adsorption. The partitioning mechanisms of Na, Mg, K, Ca and Fe were more complex.

Coal fly ashes (CFA) are generated in large amounts worldwide. Current combustion technologies allow the burning of fuels with high sulfur content such as petroleum coke, generating non-CFA, such as petroleum coke fly ash (PCFA), mainly from fluidized bed combustion processes. The disposal of CFA and PCFA fly ashes can have severe impacts in the environment such as a potential groundwater contamination by the leaching of heavy metals and/or particulate matter emissions; making it necessary to treat or reuse them. At present CFA are utilized in several applications fields such as cement and concrete production, agriculture and soil stabilization. However, their reuse is restricted by the quality parameters of the end-product or requirements defined by the production process. Therefore, secondary material markets can use a limited amount of CFA, which implies the necessity of new markets for the unused CFA. Some potential future utilization options reviewed herein are zeolite synthesis and valuable metals extraction. In comparison to CFA, PCFA are characterized by a high Ca content, suggesting a possible use as neutralizers of acid wastewaters from mining operations, opening a new potential application area for PCFA that could solve contamination problems in emergent and mining countries such as Chile. However, this potential application may be limited by PCFA heavy metals leaching, mainly V and Ni, which are present in PCFA in high concentrations.

Magnetic fractions (MFs) in fly ashes from eight coal-burning power plants were extracted by magnetic separation procedure. Their mineralogy and potential leachability of heavy metals were analyzed using rock magnetism, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) and leaching procedures (toxicity characteristics leaching procedure by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, TCLP, and gastric juice simulation test, GJST). Results show that the MFs in the fly ashes range between 2.2 and 16.3 wt%, and are generally composed of magnetite, hematite, quartz and mullite. Thermomagnetic analysis and SEM/EDX indicate that the main magnetic carrier magnetite is substituted with small amounts of impure ions, and its structures are featured by rough, dendritic and granular iron spherules. The MFs are found to be rich in Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Cd and Pb. Compared with the non-magnetic fractions (NMFs), the MFs have about 5 times higher iron, and 1.6 times higher Mn, Cr, Cu and Cd concentrations. The TCLP test shows that the TCLP-extractable Cr, Cu, and Pb concentrations in the MFs are higher than those in the NMFs, while the TCLP-extractable Cd concentration in the MFs and NMFs is below the detection limit ( Cr > Pb > Cd. The heavy metals of fly ashes have a great potential to be released into the environment under acid environment.

The manufacture of prefabricated building materials containing binding products such as ettringite (6CaO·Al2O3·3SO3·32H2O) and calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) can give, in addition to other well-defined industrial activities, the opportunity of using wastes and by-products as raw materials, thus contributing to further saving of natural resources and protection of the environment. Two ternary mixtures, composed by 40% flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum or natural gypsum (as a reference material), 35% calcium hydroxide and 25% coal fly ash, were submitted to laboratory hydrothermal treatments carried out within time and temperature ranges of 2h-7days and 55-85°C, respectively. The formation of (i) ettringite, by hydration of calcium sulfate given by FGD or natural gypsum, alumina of fly ash and part of calcium hydroxide, and (ii) CSH, by hydration of silica contained in fly ash and residual lime, was observed within both the reacting systems. For the FGD gypsum-based mixture, the conversion toward ettringite and CSH was highest at 70°C and increased with curing time. Some discrepancies in the hydration behavior between the mixtures were ascribed to differences in mineralogical composition between natural and FGD gypsum. PMID:23219474

Magnetic fractions (MFs) in fly ashes from eight coal-burning power plants were extracted by magnetic separation procedure. Their mineralogy and potential leachability of heavy metals were analyzed using rock magnetism, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) and leaching procedures (toxicity characteristics leaching procedure by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, TCLP, and gastric juice simulation test, GJST). Results show that the MFs in the fly ashes range between 2.2 and 16.3wt%, and are generally composed of magnetite, hematite, quartz and mullite. Thermomagnetic analysis and SEM/EDX indicate that the main magnetic carrier magnetite is substituted with small amounts of impure ions, and its structures are featured by rough, dendritic and granular iron spherules. The MFs are found to be rich in Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Cd and Pb. Compared with the non-magnetic fractions (NMFs), the MFs have about 5 times higher iron, and 1.6 times higher Mn, Cr, Cu and Cd concentrations. The TCLP test shows that the TCLP-extractable Cr, Cu, and Pb concentrations in the MFs are higher than those in the NMFs, while the TCLP-extractable Cd concentration in the MFs and NMFs is below the detection limit (Cr>Pb>Cd. The heavy metals of fly ashes have a great potential to be released into the environment under acid environment. PMID:19380201

Oxidation of reactive mine tailings and subsequent generation of acid mine drainage (AMD) have been long recognized as the largest environmental concern for the mining industry. Laboratory studies on utilization of coal fly ash in management of reactive mine tailings have shown reducing water and oxygen infiltration into tailings matrix, thus preventing oxidation of sulphide minerals and acid generation. However, few data from field studies to evaluate the performance of co-placement of mine tailings and fly ash (CMF hereafter) are reported in the open literature. This paper documents the construction and instrumentation of three CMF systems on the Musselwhite mine located in Ontario, Canada and presents results of 3-year real time monitoring. The field data indicates that the CMFs reduced the ingress of water due to cementation generated by hydration of fly ash. It was also found that the electrical conductivity of leachate from CMFs decreased in the early stage of co-placement, compared to the control. With further study, the principle and approach demonstrated in this paper can be adopted as a sustainable technology in the mine tailings management. PMID:24525077

Total culturable heterotrophic bacteria in a coalash basin and drainage system were monitored over a period of two years. In the first year heavy (bottom) ash was sluiced to the basin resulting in a pH of 6.5. During the second year fly ash was precipitated and added to the sluice lowering the basin pH to 4.6. Sulfate concentrations during 1975 ranged from 16 to 73 ppM (mean 33) and in 1976 from 44 to 88 ppM (mean 72). Mean annual basin temperatures were 28.8 and 26.0/sup 0/C, respectively. Approximately 1500 m in the receiving swamp below the basin, mean pH and temperature were 6.8 and 22.2/sup 0/C for the first year, and 5.4 and 22.1/sup 0/C for the second. Total culturable bacteria and diversity (colony types) were reduced at all sampling stations by 44 and 30%, respectively, whereas the percentage of the population comprised of chromagenic bacteria increased by 51% at the lower pH. Data indicated the pH had a greater effect than did water temperature when temperature was within the range of 15 to 25/sup 0/C. The predominant genera within the system in the first year were Bacillus, Sarcina, Achromobacter, Flavobacterium, and Pseudomonas. In the second year, at the lower pH, predominant genera were Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Chromobacterium, Bacillus, and Brevibacterium.

Approaches for cleaning-up contaminated sediments range from dredging to in situ treatment. In the present report, we discuss the effects of amending reference and contaminated sediments with coal fly ash to reduce the bioavailability and toxicity of a field sediment contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Six fly ashes and a coconut charcoal were evaluated in 7 d whole sediment toxicity tests with a marine amphipod (Ampelisca abdita) and mysid (Americamysis bahia). Fly ashes with high carbon content and the coconut charcoal showed proficiency at reducing toxicity. Some of the fly ashes demonstrated toxicity in the reference treatments. It is suspected that some of this toxicity is related to the presence of ammonia associated with fly ashes as a result of post-oxidation treatment to reduce nitrous oxides emissions. Relatively simple methods exist to remove ammonia from fly ash prior to use and fly ashes with low ammonia content are available. Fly ashes were also shown to effectively reduce overlying water concentrations of several PAHs. There was no evidence of the release of the metals cadmium, copper, nickel or lead from the fly ashes. A preliminary 28 d polychaete bioaccumulation study with one of the high carbon fly ashes and a reference sediment was also performed. Although preliminary, there was no evidence of adverse effects to worm growth or lipid content, or the accumulation of PAHs or mercury from exposure to the fly ash. These data show fly ashes with high carbon contents may represent viable remedial materials for reducing the bioavailability of organic contaminants in sediments. PMID:18717615

The toxic properties of coal fly ash samples obtained from various coal combustion power plants were evaluated in this work using physicochemical analyses and bioassays. Physicochemical analyses showed that heavy metals present in solid samples included Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn. The results of the chemical analysis of eluates deduced by the application of standard leaching tests according to EN 12457-2 and Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) methods indicated that the compounds contained in fly ashes could potentially be transferred to the liquid phase depending upon the leaching method used. Heavy metal concentrations were higher in TCLP eluates, indicating that the initial pH value of the leaching medium significantly affected the transfer of these elements to the liquid phase. Tests conducted with the photobacterium Vibrio fischeri (Microtox test), the crustacean Daphnia magna, and the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus were used to assess toxicity of eluates obtained by both leaching tests. Daphnia magna was the most sensitive test organism. The EN 12457-2 method proved to be more reliable for toxicity evaluation of eluates. In contrast, the TCLP method showed some interference owing to acetic acid toxicity, and precipitation occurred after pH adjustment of eluates from acid to neutral range. The toxicity of both fly ashes and the corresponding solid leaching residues of EN 12457-2 and TCLP leaching tests was also measured using the Microtox Basic Solid phase Test. The results generated with this bioassay indicated that toxicity was greatly influenced by the pH status of the solid samples.

Atmospheric distribution of pollutants by magnetic means has been extensively studied, but only little is known about pollution-related magnetic signatures for aquatic transport. The case of a textile factory in Croatia that released heavy-metal polluted and highly magnetic ash and slag material from coal burning into Mrežnica River for 110 years (1884-1994) represents an ideal target for studying principles of magnetic tracing through a river system. Samples from the riverside close to the factory show high concentrations of magnetite (mass-specific susceptibility χ ˜1-4 x10‑5 m3kg‑1) with low frequency dependence (χfd% 100 m from the riverside. The spatial pattern of shallow vertical sections of χ (surface to ˜0.5 m depth) shows different layers of coal burning residues which may even allow discriminating different flooding events (historical flooding). In order to assess the possible influence of fly ash from the factory, we studied vertical soil profiles at locations which cannot be reached by floods. These (red) soils, formed on limestones, are strongly magnetic (χ >10‑6 m3kg‑1). Despite this strong natural magnetic signals, the depth dependence of χfd% and characteristic chemical properties (sulfur content, Ni/Cu ratio) as well as the dependence of the vertical χ distribution with distance to the point source indicate a contribution of fly ash to soil contamination near the factory (within about one kilometer). The presently available results indicate that with a strong magnetic point source as in the case of the studied textile factory, magnetic tracing can contribute important information on the transport and mass balance of sediments in a river basin.

An investigation was undertaken to determine the gasification and combustion characteristics of chars derived from an inertinite-rich coal discard sample with a high ash content. Fundamental knowledge of the reaction rate kinetics for char conversion at reactions conditions used in fluidised bed gasification and combustion was obtained. For this purpose, characterisation of the parent coal and derived chars, reactivity determinations of the chars and detailed reaction rate mode...

Highlights: ► Element release during fly ash extraction experiments controlled by mineralogy. ► Strontium isotopes in fly ash are not homogenized during coal combustion. ► Element correlations with 87Sr/86Sr indicate chemically resistant silicate phase. ► Sr isotopes can uniquely identify fly ash fluids leaking into the environment. - Abstract: The major element and Sr isotope systematics and geochemistry of coal fly ash and its interactions with environmental waters were investigated using laboratory flow-through column leaching experiments (sodium carbonate, acetic acid, nitric acid) and sequential batch leaching experiments (water, acetic acid, hydrochloric acid). Column leaching of Class F fly ash samples shows rapid release of most major elements early in the leaching procedure, suggesting an association of these elements with soluble and surface bound phases. Delayed release of certain elements (e.g., Al, Fe, Si) signals gradual dissolution of more resistant silicate or glass phases as leaching continues. Strontium isotope results from both column and batch leaching experiments show a marked increase in 87Sr/86Sr ratio with continued leaching, yielding a total range of values from 0.7107 to 0.7138. For comparison, the isotopic composition of fluid output from a fly ash impoundment in West Virginia falls in a narrow range around 0.7124. The experimental data suggest the presence of a more resistant, highly radiogenic silicate phase that survives the combustion process and is leached after the more soluble minerals are removed. Strontium isotopic homogenization of minerals in coal does not always occur during the combustion process, despite the high temperatures encountered in the boiler. Early-released Sr tends to be isotopically uniform; thus the Sr isotopic composition of fly ash could be distinguishable from other sources and is a useful tool for quantifying the possible contribution of fly ash leaching to the total dissolved load in natural surface

Full Text Available Production of a high value zeolite from fly ash has been shown to be an avenue for the utilization of South African fly ash which presently constitutes a huge disposal problem. The synthesis of zeolites Na-P1 and analcime on a micro-scale has been successful and preliminary investigation shows that scale-up synthesis is promising. However, the post-synthesis supernatant waste generated contains high levels of NaOH that may constitute a secondary disposal problem. A waste minimization protocol was developed to reduce the volume of waste generated with a view to enhancing the feasibility of the scale synthesis. Series of experiments were conducted in 100 mL jacketed batch reactors. Fly ash was reacted with 5 Mol NaOH on a 1:1 mass basis during the aging step, followed by hydrothermal treatment in which ultrapure water was added to the slurry. This study shows that by re-introducing the supernatant waste into the experiments in such a way that it supplies the required reagent (NaOH for the zeolite synthesis, zeolite Na-P1 and analcime can be synthesized. It also shows that the synthesis process can be altered to allow up to 100% re-use of the supernatant waste to yield high value zeolitic products. This study effectively constructed two protocols for the minimization of waste generated during the synthesis of zeolites from South African coal fly ash. This result could be used to establish a basis for legal and environmental aspects involved in the commission of a full-scale plant synthesizing zeolites NaP1 and analcime.

Full Text Available This paper presents the results of research focused on the lowering of ash flow temperature at semianthracite coal from Donbas district by means of additive (calcite dosing. Ash fusion temperatures were set for two coal samples (A, B and for five various states (samples of ash without any additives, with 1%, with 3%, with 5% and with 7% of the additive in total. The macroscopicphotographic method was used for identifying all specific temperatures. Obtained outputs prove that A type coal has a lower value of sphere temperature than B type coal in the whole scope of percentage representation of the additive. The flow temperature dropped in total from 1489 °C to 1280 °C, i.e. by 14% during the test of coal of type A with 7% of the additive; while it was near 10% for coal of type B (from 1450 °C to 1308 °C. Numerical simulations of the process showed that it is not effective to add an additive with a grain size lower than 280 μm by means of wastevapour burners.

Air pollution from coal combustion is of great concern in China because coal is the country's principal source of energy and it has been estimated that coal combustion is one of the main sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emissions in the nation. This study reports the concentrations of 15 PAHs including benzo[a]pyrene, dibenzo[a,l]pyrene, dibenzo[a,e]pyrene, dibenzo[a,i]pyrene and dibenzo[a,h]pyrene in a coal fly ash certified reference material (CRM) from China. To the best of our knowledge, dibenzo[a,l]pyrene, dibenzo[a,i]pyrene and dibenzo[a,h]pyrene concentrations in coal fly ash particles have not previously been reported. Benzo[a]pyrene is the only one of the studied hydrocarbons whose concentration in the coal fly ash CRM had previously been certified. The concentration of this species measured in this present work was twice the certified value. This is probably because of the exhaustive accelerated solvent extraction method employed. Consecutive extractions indicated an extraction recovery in excess of 95% for benzo[a]pyrene. For the other determined PAHs, repeat extractions indicated recoveries above 90%. PMID:22728296

Coal fly ash is a waste by-product of the coal fire industry, which generates many environmental problems. Alternative uses of this material would provide efficient solutions for this by-product. In this work, nitric acid-etched coal fly ash labelled with 2-mercaptoethanol or thioglycolic acid was assessed for retention of Al(III), As(III), Cu(II), Cd(II), Fe(III), Mn(II), Hg(II), Ni(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II) ions. The bonding characteristics between the organic compounds with the solid support, as well as with the metal ions, were evaluated using various surface analytical techniques. Visualization of the organically-functionalized coal fly ash particle was possible using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while the elemental composition of the functionalized material, before and after retention of the metal ions, was obtained by energy dispersive (ED)-X ray spectrometry (XRS) and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometry and Raman spectrometry were used to obtain information about the functional groups. It was found that some metal(oid) ions (As, Ni, Pb, Zn) were coordinated through the mercaptan group, while other metal(oid)s (Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn) were apparently bonded to oxygen atoms. A low-cost and effective solid phase retention system for extraction of heavy metals from aqueous solutions was thus developed. - Graphical abstract: Nitric acid-etched coal fly ash labelled with 2-mercaptoethanol or thioglycolic acid was intended for the retention of heavy metals. The bonding characteristics between the organic compounds with the solid support, as well as with the metal ions, were evaluated using surface analytical techniques. - Highlights: • Coal fly ashes were organically-functionalized. • Organically-functionalized coal fly ashes were spectrometrically characterized. • Organically-functionalized coal fly ashes can be used as an effective solid sorbent for metal(oid)s. • This retention

The paper addresses the thermal treatment of pulverized coal combustion fly ash belonging to the group C of Geldart powder classification in unconventional configurations of fluidised bed reactors. A sound-assisted fluidised bed combustor operated at 850 and 750 C, and a fluidised bed combustor characterized by a conical geometry, operated at 850 C, are the two lab-scale reactors tested. Combustion experiments have been carried out at different air excesses, ranging between 10% and 170%, and in the case of the conical fluidization column with different bed inventory. Both tested configurations have been proved to be efficient to reduce the carbon content initially present in the fly ash of 11%{sub w}, to a very low level, generally smaller than 1%{sub w}. Both the fly ash residence time in the reactor and the air excess strongly influenced the reactor performance. Residence times of 3-4 min and 10-60 min have been estimated for experiments carried out with the sound-assisted fluidised bed combustor and with the conical fluidised bed combustor, respectively. Regarding the possibility of a concurrent reduction of unburned carbon in the ash and of a particle size separation of the beneficiated material, on the basis of the obtained experimental data, the sound-assisted fluidised bed combustor is not able to separate the broad particle size distribution of the fly ash in different outlet solid streams. The use of a conical fluidised bed combustor is promising to realize an efficient separation of the inlet broad particle size distribution of the fly ash fed to the reactor into narrower outlet solid streams extracted from different locations: combustor exit, top and bottom of the bed. In this framework a hydrodynamic characterization of binary mixtures in a conical fluidised bed column carried out at ambient and high temperature (850 C) has demonstrated that the operating conditions of the conical fluidised bed combustor can be chosen on the basis of a compromise

A simple and rapid laser fluorometric determination of trace and ultra trace level of uranium in a wide variety of low uranium content materials like soil, basic and ultra basic rocks, plant ash, coal fly ash and red mud samples is described. Interference studies of some common major, minor and trace elements likely to be present in different geological materials on uranium fluorescence are studied using different fluorescence enhancing reagents like sodium pyrophosphate, orthophosphoric acid, penta sodium tri-polyphosphate and sodium hexametaphosphate. The accurate determination of very low uranium content samples which are rich in iron, manganese and calcium, is possible only after the selective separation of uranium. Conditions suitable for the quantitative single step extraction of 25 ng to 20 μg uranium with tri-n-octylphosphine oxide and single step quantitative stripping with dilute neutral sodium pyrophosphate, which also acts as fluorescence enhancing reagent is studied. The aqueous strip is used for the direct laser fluorometric measurement without any further pretreatment. The procedure is applied for the determination of uranium in soil, basalt, plant ash, coal fly ash and red mud samples. The accuracy of the proposed method is checked by analyzing certain standard reference materials as well as synthetic sample with known quantity of uranium. The accuracy and reproducibility of the method are fairly good with RSD ranging from 3 to 5% depend upon the concentration of uranium. (author)

Full Text Available The effect of synthetic zeolites on stabilizing Zn-contaminated soil using 0.01 mol L-1 CaCl2 leaching solution in batch experiments was investigated. The zeolites were synthesized from coalash by hydrothermal treatment with alkaline solution. The additive enhanced the sorption capacity of the soil and reduced leaching. Zinc leaching was reduced by more than 80% using a minimum of 10% additive. The higher cation exchange capacity of the zeolite/soil mixtures and higher pH were responsible for stabilizing Zn in soil. The poly(2-aminobenzenesulfonic acid-coated mercury thin-film electrode was used for the determination of zinc.

The effect of synthetic zeolites on stabilizing Zn-contaminated soil using 0.01 mol L-1 CaCl2 leaching solution in batch experiments was investigated. The zeolites were synthesized from coalash by hydrothermal treatment with alkaline solution. The additive enhanced the sorption capacity of the soil and reduced leaching. Zinc leaching was reduced by more than 80% using a minimum of 10% additive. The higher cation exchange capacity of the zeolite/soil mixtures and higher pH were responsible fo...

IAEA-RCA/RAS on NCS project have been operating from 2001 brought a new conception and approach about application of nuclear and nucleonic techniques in member states. Through 4 cycle of projects (RAS/8/089, RAS/8/094, RAS/8/099 and RAS/8/107), by a step-by-sep technical transfer, higher level on later phase, this technical transfer way has corrected disadvantages and opened new applications, helps the member states from passive receiving to active joining into higher level of technical development for particular application, in each member state. A regional demonstration centre has been set up in Hanoi - Vietnam, to train personnel from around the RCA region in the use of this instrumentation. The centre in Hanoi has been set a coalash determination instruments using back-scattered gamma and coalash logging instrument using PGNAA methods. In 2008, through project RAS/8/107, IAEA has aided a neutron generator and Vietnam had a responsibility to develop Ash content Bulk Analysis by PGNAA. Prompt gamma neutron activation analysis technique (PGNAA) is one among advanced techniques over the world. Advantages of this technique are fast analysis, good accuracy, sample process is not required, no influences of measurement environment and analysis of almost elements in the periodic table. Based on this issue, project Research and development of PGNAA coalash analyser using neutron generator, carried out since 9/2009, finished in 9/2011 have achieved the first achievements in fast coalash determination. Developed Ash content Bulk Analysis by PGNAA has following technical parameters: result of coalash determined has absolute error less than 1%; uses Cf-252 neutron source with neutron flux of 0.85 x 106 n/s; uses BGO detector with size of 51 x 51mm, 2000 channels of ADC; analysis time is 600 s; mass of analysed coal sample is 700 kg; PC connected via USB interface on Window XP; neutron dose and gamma dose around the instruments are less than allowed doses in IAEA safety

Coal fly ash (CFA) and paper waste (PW) related environmental problems and its recycling techniques have been a major challenge to society. Therefore, it is of crucial importance to develop new recycling methods for CFA and PW. This work proposes a potential new way of developing synthetic aggregates (SA) using CFA, PW, starch waste and ammonium sulfate (AS) as a granular nitrogen fertilizer medium, and their utilization as a soil amendment to improve crop production in the low productive acidic red soil of Okinawa, Japan. Three types of SA with three different nitrogen (N) percentages were produced and used to amend acidic red soil in a pot experiment for the cultivation of Komatsuna, which is also called as Japanese mustard spinach (Brassica rapa var. pervidis). SA had a low bulk density (0.58-0.62 g/cm{sup 3}), high water holding capacity (0.60-0.64 kg/kg), high saturated hydraulic conductivity (2.34.10{sup -2} cm/s), high mean weight diameter (MWD) (4.32-4.48 mm), alkaline pH (8.58-8.61), high electrical conductivity (EC) (82.18-84.35 mS/m) and high carbon (C) content (68.71-70.07 g/kg) in comparison with the acidic red soil. The trace element concentrations of the developed SA were below the maximum pollutant concentration of individual metals for land application of sewage sludge given by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies showed the higher structural surface area of SA, where round shaped CFA particles were embedded into the fibrous PW matrix. Incorporation of SA into the acidic red soil not only enhanced soil fertility but also improved the physical and chemical properties of the soil compared to soil without SA addition. SA addition to the acidic red soil significantly increased the growth and yield parameters of Komatsuna compared to soil without SA addition. (Abstract Copyright [2009], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Coal mines are required to provide ventilation to occupied portions of underground mines. Concrete block is used in this process to construct air duct walls. However, normal concrete block is heavy and not easy to work with and eventually fails dramatically after being loaded due to mine ceiling convergence and/or floor heave. Autoclaved cellular concrete block made from (70{plus_minus}%) coal fly ash is lightweight and less rigid when loaded. It is lighter and easier to use than regular concrete block for underground mine applications. It has also been used in surface construction around the world for over 40 years. Ohio Edison along with eight other electric utility companies, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and North American Cellular Concrete constructed a mobile demonstration plant to produce autoclaved cellular concrete block from utility fly ash. To apply this research in Ohio, Ohio Edison also worked with the Ohio Coal Development Office and CONSOL Inc. to produce autoclaved cellular concrete block not only from coalash but also from LIMB ash, SNRB ash, and PFBC ash from various clean coal technology projects sponsored by the Ohio Coal Development Office. The purpose of this project was to demonstrate the potential for beneficial use of fly ash and clean coal technology by-products in the production of lightweight block.

This study was undertaken at the request of the Fossil Fuel Processing Division of the Department of Energy. The report includes a compilation of conceptual flow sheets, including major equipment lists, and the results of an availability survey of potential suppliers of equipment associated with the coal and ash/slag operations that will be required by future large coal conversion plant complexes. Conversion plant flow sheet operations and related equipment requirements were based on two representative bituminous coals - Pittsburgh and Kentucky No. 9 - and on nine coal conversion processes. It appears that almost all coal handling and preparation and ash/slag removal equipment covered by this survey, with the exception of some coal comminution equipment, either is on hand or can readily be fabricated to meet coal conversion plant capacity requirements of up to 50,000 short tons per day. Equipment capable of handling even larger capacities can be developed. This approach appears to be unjustified, however, because in many cases a reasonable or optimum number of trains of equipment must be considered when designing a conversion plant complex. The actual number of trains of equipment selected will be influenced by the total requied capacity of the complex, the minimum on-line capacity that can be tolerated in case of equipment failure, reliability of specific equipment types, and the number of reactors and related feed injection stations needed for the specific conversion process.

The size distribution of coal particles in a Circulating Fluidized Bed(CFB) boiler plays a crucial role in the complicated combustion,heat exchange and pollutant emissions in such a plant.Therefore,it is fundamental to study the different factors having influence on the size distribution of coal particles.Above all,the coal itself and in particular,the coal comminution phenomenon is a very influent factor.In the frame of this work,the coal nature (eleentary compostion) and coal internal structure (mineral componeents) are studied in detail.At this intermediary stage,experients on three typical Chinese coals on a 1.5 MWt CFBC pilot plant have been made.Some primary fragmentation test hae also been made in a small lab scale fluidized bed reactor.The resutls from the hot pilot test show i)the variation of coalash distributions and other CFB performance data due to the cyclone and the coal characteristics and ii) the variation of desulfurization efficiency with limestone.Whereas the bench scale primary fragmentation test,likely linked to the caking propriety of a coal,does not seem to change considerable the char size distribution.

The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of solidification of municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) fly ash with circulation fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) fly ash, which is unsuitable as a cement replacement due to its high amounts of carbon, lime and anhydrite. The solidification process was conducted on samples prepared from MSWI fly ash, binders (cement clinkers and CFBC fly ash were mixed at two replacement ratios) and water (water/solid weight ratio = 0.4), among which the MSWI fly ash replaced each binder at the ratio of 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80% by dry weight. The samples were subjected to compressive strength tests and Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure and the results showed that all solidified MSWI fly ash can meet the landfill standard imposed by US EPA after 28 days of curing. Micro-analysis (X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry) revealed that the main hydrate products were C-S-H gel and ettringite, which have a positive effect on heavy metals retention. Therefore, this method provides a possibility to achieve a cheap and effective solution for MSWI fly ash management and use for CFBC fly ash. PMID:19423575

The development and certification of a coal fly ash certified reference material (CRM) for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) is described; this is the first natural matrix CRM for organic environmental analysis in China. The homogeneity and stability of this material have been tested by HPLC. The concentrations of several PAH were determined by use of two independent, different methods--solvent extraction-HPLC analysis with UV detection coupled with fluorescence detection (FLD) and solvent extraction, isolation with a silica column, and GC analysis with flame ionization detection (FID). Five certified values were determined: phenanthrene 7.1 +/- 2.6 microg g(-1), anthracene 2.0 +/- 0.8 microg g(-1), fluoranthene 7.4 +/- 1.9 microg g(-1), pyrene 7 +/- 2 microg g(-1), and benzo[a]pyrene 1.3 +/- 0.3 microg g(-1). Reference values for several other PAH are also suggested. PMID:11583083

Coal combustion by-products such as fly ash (FA), brine and CO(2) from coal fired power plants have the potential to impact negatively on the environment. FA and brine can contaminate the soil, surface and ground water through leaching of toxic elements present in their matrices while CO(2) has been identified as a green house gas that contributes significantly towards the global warming effect. Reaction of CO(2) with FA/brine slurry can potentially provide a viable route for CO(2) sequestration via formation of mineral carbonates. Fractionated FA has varying amounts of CaO which not only increases the brine pH but can also be converted into an environmentally benign calcite. Carbonation efficiency of fractionated and brine impacted FA was investigated in this study. Controlled carbonation reactions were carried out in a reactor set-up to evaluate the effect of fractionation on the carbonation efficiency of FA. Chemical and mineralogical characteristics of fresh and carbonated ash were evaluated using XRF, SEM, and XRD. Brine effluents were characterized using ICP-MS and IC. A factorial experimental approach was employed in testing the variables. The 20-150 μm size fraction was observed to have the highest CO(2) sequestration potential of 71.84 kg of CO(2) per ton of FA while the >150 μm particles had the lowest potential of 36.47 kg of CO(2) per ton of FA. Carbonation using brine resulted in higher degree of calcite formation compared to the ultra-pure water carbonated residues. PMID:20970918

A procedure has been developed for determining the chemical composition and relative abundance of the amorphous or glassy material, as well as crystalline phases, present in coarse coal gasification ash, in order to assist in predicting the behaviour of the material in cement/brick/concrete applications. The procedure is based on a combination of quantitative X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical analysis and electron microprobe studies. XRD analysis indicates that the clinker samples contain a number of crystalline high temperature phases, including anorthite, mullite, cristobalite, quartz and diopside. Quantitative evaluation using Rietveld-based techniques has been used to determine the percentages of both the individual crystalline phases and the glass component. These data were then combined with the chemistry of the crystalline phases and the overall chemical composition of the ash to estimate the chemical composition of the glass phase, which is typically the most abundant component present in the different materials. Although there is some degree of scatter, comparison between the inferred glass composition from XRD and bulk chemistry and actual data on the glass composition using electron microprobe techniques suggest that the two approaches are broadly consistent. The microprobe further indicates that a range of compositions are present in the glassy and crystalline components of the ashes, including Si-Al-rich glass, metakaolin and Fe-Ca-Mg-Ti phases, as well as quartz, anorthite and an aluminophosphate material. Electron microprobe and XRD studies also show that pyrrhotite (FeS), representing a high temperature transformation product of pyrite, is present in some clinker and partially burnt carbonaceous shale samples. 27 refs., 5 figs., 7 tabs.

South African coal fly ash (SACFA) was used to effectively remove phenol, 2-nitrophenol and 4-nitrophenol from wastewater. The rate of adsorption follows first-order kinetics before attaining equilibrium with the sorption rate (K{sub ad}) obtained being the highest for 4-nitrophenol (p-nitrophenol) (7.0 x 10{sup -3}/h), followed by phenol (1.2 x 10{sup -3}/h) and 2-nitrophenol (o-nitrophenol) (1.0 x 10{sup -3}/h). Batch studies were performed to evaluate the adsorption process, and it was found that the Freundlich isotherm effectively fits the experimental data for the adsorbates better than the Langmuir model, with the fly ash having the highest adsorption capacity of 6.51 x 10{sup -2} mg/g for 4-nitrophenol, 6.00 x 10{sup -2} mg/g for 2-nitrophenol and 6.31 x 10{sup -2} mg/g for phenol. The fly ash was found to adsorb 90.2% of phenol, 88.9% of 2-nitrophenol and 92.6% of 4-nitrophenol at an initial concentration of 20 mg/l. The desorption studies suggested that the desorption of 4-nitrophenol was the most difficult of the three adsorbates to be desorbed. The desorption efficiency was 17.9% for phenol, 18.8% for 2-nitrophenol and 10.2% for 4-nitrophenol. This work proved that SACFA can be used as an efficient adsorbent material for removal of phenol from water and wastewater.

Bioaccumulation of Se by fish from Pigeon River and Pigeon Lake, Michigan, which receive inputs of Se from a coal fly-ash disposal facility, was studied to assess potential hazards of Se toxicity to fish and wildlife. Se concentrations in fish from sites receiving Se inputs from fly ash disposal ponds were significantly greater than concentrations in fish from upstream sites, which were near normal background concentrations. Se bioaccumulation differed substantially among fish species, especially in the most contaminated site, where whole-body Se concentrations for the five species analyzed ranged from 1.4 to 3.8 microg/g (wet wt.). The top predator in the community, northern pike (Esox lucius), had Se concentrations less than those in likely prey species. Among lower-order consumers, Se concentrations were greater in limnetic species (spottail shiner, Notropis hudsonius, and yellow perch, Perca flavescens), than in benthic species (white sucker, Catostomus commersoni, and rock bass, Ambloplites rupestris). Se concentrations in tissues of fish from the lower Pigeon River and Pigeon Lake approached, but did not exceed lowest observable effect concentrations (LOAECs) for Se in tissues of sensitive fish species. However, Se concentrations in several fish species exceeded LOAECs for dietary Se exposure of sensitive species of birds and mammals, suggesting that consumption of fish in these areas may pose a hazard to piscivorous wildlife

Polish bituminous (PB) and South African (SA) coal fly ash (FA) samples, derived from pilot-scale circulated fluidized bed (CFB) combustion facilities, were utilized as raw materials for the synthesis of zeolitic products. The two FAs underwent a hydrothermal activation with 1 M NaOH solution. Two different FA/NaOH solution/ratios (50, 100 g/L) were applied for each sample and several zeolitic materials were formed. The experimental products were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray coupled-scanning electron microscope (EDX/SEM), while X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was applied for the determination of their chemical composition. The zeolitic products were also evaluated in terms of their cation exchange capacity (CEC), specific surface area (SSA), specific gravity (SG), particle size distribution (PSD), pH and the range of their micro- and macroporosity. Afterwards the hybrid materials were tested for their ability of adsorbing Cr, Pb, Ni, Cu, Cd and Zn from contaminated liquids. Main parameters for the precipitation of the heavy metals, as it was concluded from the experimental results, are the mineralogical composition of the initial fly ashes, as well as the type and the amount of the produced zeolite and specifically the mechanism by which the metals ions are hold on the substrate.

In Sweden, producers of combustion residues have since 2002 implemented a collaborative applied RandD programme aimed at the utilisation of combustion residues (ash). The fuels are biomass, wastes, peat - any solid fuel but coal. In this report, the main lines of the programme are described: Covers for landfills and mine tailings; Civil works, e.g. road-buildings, where both geotechnical and environmental questions have been addressed; Cement and concrete applications; Compensating soils for removing biomass and the mineral nutrients in the biomass. The emphasis of the Programme is on environmental questions, even if technical questions have been treated. The time perspective in this context is much longer than the 3-5 years that are usual in an applied RandD programme, i.e. decades after ash has been placed on a site, e.g. in a road, or spread to forest soil. New test fields have been created in the programme and old test fields have been evaluated in order to gather available information

Full Text Available Abstract The use of heterogeneous catalysts in the production of biodiesel provides many advantages due to heterogeneous catalysts can be easily separated from the product so that it can be reused. This research using heterogeneous catalysts derived from natural materials namely banana stem ash and coal fly ash containing alkali and alkaline earth elements. The preparation of catalyst from banana stem ash and coal fly ash used activator KOH 1.9 N and impregnation with KNO3 15 and then heated to a temperature of 550 0C for 3 hours. Results of preparation banana stem ash contains potassium of 36.52 and surface area of 41.901 m2g. This work presents the effect of ultrasonic assisted of waste cooking oil with methanol as solvent using banana stem ash and coal fly ash as catalyst. The diameter of catalyst particles of banana stem ash and coal fly ash varied at 50 100 150 200 and 250 mesh. The transesterification reaction was performed in the presence of ultrasonic operating frequency constant at 40 kHz methanol molar ratio to oil of 9 1 and reaction time of 30 minutes. The methyl ester biodiesel content of product was 93.26 of banana stems ash and 57 of coal fly ash respectively. The physical property was compared with the National Indonesia Standard SNI 2006 with a density viscosity cloud point flash point and cetane number.

The specific activity of 238U as a technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material (TENORM) in feed coal, bottom and fly ash samples from four major coal-fired thermal power plants in the Philippines have been measured using high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy system equipped with a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector. The uranium concentration has been determined from same samples using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). There was a good correlation between the measured uranium using both methods and has been estimated to be 0.98. Uranium from coal, bottom and fly ash samples were chemically separated and activity ratio (234U/238U) and 235U/238U ratio was measured using a thermal ionization mass spectrometer (TIMS). The highest concentration of uranium was found in fly ash and lowest was for feed coal. Uranium isotopic composition plays an important role in studying its biogeochemical behavior and is a good tracer on the sources of uranium in the environment. (orig.)

Highlights: • Sintered aggregate using pond ash from lignite and bituminous coal source. • Identification of admixtures and its dosage through design of experiments. • Clay, bentonite and kaolinite as binders enhance the strength of aggregate. • Use of calcium hydroxide with clay binder enhanced pelletization efficiency. • Use of borax with clay binders enhanced the strength of aggregate. - Abstract: Statistically designed experiments using Response Surface Methodology have been undertaken to identify the parameters influencing manufacturing process and properties of aggregate using coal pond ash (generated from bituminous and lignite coal sources). Based on the preliminary studies, Ca(OH)2 and borax have been identified as pelletization and strength enhancing admixture respectively. Pelletization efficiency of bituminous and lignite pond ash increased with an increase in binder and Ca(OH)2 dosage to 20–98% and 50–98% respectively, with proportionate quantity of water. Sintering has been used as a hardening method with temperature range of 900 °C and 1100 °C for a duration range of 45–120 min. Phase composition and sintered microstructure of aggregate has been reported using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy respectively. The ten percent fines value of aggregate with clay binder was 5.5 tonne as against a value of 4.5 tonne with aggregate with bentonite binder. Among the binders studied, bentonite resulted in high volume utilization of pond ash, i.e. up to 88%

This paper investigated the ash deposit characteristics during the co-firing Da Tong (DA) coal with different proportions of rice hull (0%, 5%, 10%, and 20%, based on weight) in a pilot-scale furnace. The growth of ash deposit with a four-stage mode was presented. The stable thickness values of DA coal, 5% rice hull, 10% rice hull, and 20% rice hull were 0.5, 1.4, 2.9, 5.7 cm, with stable heat flux values of 230, 200, 175, and 125 kW/m2, respectively. According to the results of scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX), the amount of Si in the deposits increased with the increasing proportion of rice hull rich in SiO2. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis results indicated that most elements except Si were in the amorphous state because of the formation of eutectics. The stable thicknesses of deposits increased exponentially with the proportion of rice hull. The deposit was loose, easy removable but it reduced the heat transfer significantly. Consequently, sootblowing timely was necessary when co-firing DA coal with rice hull. - Highlights: • Digital image technique was used to monitor deposits growth process. • A type of four stages mode of ash deposit growth was presented. • The heat flux of ash deposits fit a three-stage mode. • The addition of rice hull increased the porosity of deposits

Full Text Available Certain Central Appalachian coals, most notably the Fire Clay coal with a REY-enriched volcanic ash fall tonstein, are known to be enriched in rare earth elements. The Fire Clay tonstein has a greater contribution to the total coal + parting REY than would be inferred from its thickness, accounting for about 20%–35% of the REY in the coal + parting sequence. Underground mining, in particular, might include roof and floor rock and the within-seam partings in the mined product. Beneficiation, necessary to meet utility specifications, will remove some of the REY from the delivered product. In at least one previously published example, even though the tonstein was not present in the Fire Clay coal, the coal was enriched in REY. In this case, as well as mines that ship run-of-mine products to the utility, the shipped REY content should be virtually the same as for the mined coal. At the power plant, however, the delivered coal will be pulverized, generally accompanied by the elimination of some of the harder rock, before it is fired into the boiler. Overall, there are a wide range of variables between the geologic sample at the mine and the power plant, any or all of which could impact the concentration of REY or other critical materials in the coal combustion products.

Low-rank, high-mineral matter Bulgarian coals were studied using a variety of chemical, optical, and electron beam methods. The larger fly ash carbon phases include charred carbons in contrast to coked carbons present in the fly ashes of bituminous-coal-derived fly ashes. Nanoscale carbons include multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) encapsulating Hg, Se, and As, among other elements. In addition to the glass which dominates the fly ash, relatively coarse 'rock fragments', consisting of an unmelted to partially melted core surrounded by a glassy rim, are present in the fly ash. Nano-scale minerals can contain hazardous elements and, along with metal-bearing multiwalled nanotubes, can be a path for the entry of hazardous particles into the lungs and other organs. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We model Bulgarian power plants which have regulated minerals nanoparticles can contain hazardous elements. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We study changes in the level of information about nanominerals importance and the effect on human health exposure. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Increasing information will increase quality if power plants procedures are similar.

Birds attracted to nest around coalash settling basins may expose their young to contaminants by provisioning them with contaminated food. Diet and tissues of Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscala) nestlings were analyzed for trace elements to determine if nestlings were accumulating elements via dietary exposure and if feather growth limits elemental accumulation in other tissues. Arsenic, cadmium, and selenium concentrations in ash basin diets were 5× higher than reference diets. Arsenic, cadmium, and selenium concentrations were elevated in feather, liver, and carcass, but only liver Se concentrations approached levels of concern. Approximately 15% of the total body burden of Se, As, and Cd was sequestered in feathers of older (>5 days) nestlings, whereas only 1% of the total body burden of Sr was sequestered in feathers. Feather concentrations of only three elements (As, Se, and Sr) were correlated with liver concentrations, indicating their value as non-lethal indicators of exposure. - Highlights: ► We examined elemental uptake by grackle nestlings associated with coalash basins. ► Diet of ash basin nestlings had higher levels of Se, As, and Cd than control nestlings. ► Se, As, Cd, and Sr concentrations of ash basin nestling tissues were elevated. ► Only Se in nestling liver approached published levels of concern. ► Nestling feathers sequestered >15% of the total body burden of Se, As, and Cd. - Nestlings of common grackles attracted to nest around coalash settling basins were exposed to elevated dietary Se, As, Cd, and Sr, resulting in elevated Se tissue concentrations approaching reported levels of concern.

Highlights: • Extractive de-sulfurization and de-ashing process for cleaning high sulfur coals. • The process removes inorganic as well as organic sulfur components from high sulfur coals. • The process has less risk to chemists and other surroundings. - Abstract: The environmental consequences of energy production from coals are well known, and are driving the development of desulfurization technologies. In this investigation, ionic liquids were examined for extractive desulfurization and de-ashing in industrially important high sulfur sub-bituminous Indian coals. The ionic liquids, namely, 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (IL1) and 1-n-butyl 3-methylimidazolium chloride (IL2) were employed for desulfurization of a few Indian coal samples in presence of HCOOH/H2O2 and V2O5. Results show the maximum removal of 50.20% of the total sulfur, 48.00% of the organic sulfur, and 70.37 wt% of the ash in this process. The ionic liquids were recovered and subsequently used for further desulfurization. FT-IR spectra reveal the transformation of organic sulfur functionalities into the sulfoxides (S=O) and sulfones (-SO2) due to the oxidative reactions. The sulfate, pyrite and sulfides (aryls) signals in the near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) of the oxidized coal samples showed sulfur transformation during the desulfurization process. The study demonstrates the removal of significant amount of inorganic as well as organic sulfur (aryls) components from the original high sulfur coal samples to make them cleaner

This study has provided an initial assessment of the environmental impacts and potential health effects associated with coal fly ash produced during diesel co-firing. Many hazardous elements that are typically detected by multifaceted chemical characterization by XRD, petrology, FE-SEM/EDS, and HR-TEM/SEAD/FFT/EDS in ultra-fine compounds and nanominerals from the co-fired coal fly ashes (CFAs). It provided an in-depth understanding of coalash produced during diesel co-firing. Several of the neoformed ultra-fine compounds and nano-minerals found in the coalashes are the same as those commonly associated with oxidation/transformation of aluminosilicates, carbonates, sulphides and phosphates. PMID:24157478

Increasing proportions of coal fly ash were co-composted with municipal green waste to produce manufactured soil for landscaping use. Only the 100% green waste treatment reached a thermophilic composting phase (50 degrees C) which lasted for 6 days. The 25% and 50% ash treatments reached 36-38 degrees C over the same period while little or no self-heating occurred in the 75% and 100% ash treatments. Composted green waste had a low bulk density and high total and macro-porosity. Addition of 25% ash to green waste resulted in a 75% increase in available water holding capacity. As the proportions of added ash in the composts increased, the organic C, soluble C, microbial biomass C, basal respiration and activities of beta-glucosidase, L-asparaginase, alkali phosphatase and arylsulphatase enzymes in the composted products all decreased. It could be concluded that addition of fly ash to green waste at a proportion higher than 25% did not improve the quality parameters of manufactured soil. PMID:19539464

Increasing proportions of coal fly ash were co-composted with municipal green waste to produce manufactured soil for landscaping use. Only the 100% green waste treatment reached a thermophilic composting phase ({ge} 50{sup o}C) which lasted for 6 days. The 25% and 50% ash treatments reached 36-38{sup o}C over the same period while little or no self-heating occurred in the 75% and 100% ash treatments. Composted green waste had a low bulk density and high total and macro-porosity. Addition of 25% ash to green waste resulted in a 75% increase in available water holding capacity. As the proportions of added ash in the composts increased, the organic C, soluble C, microbial biomass C, basal respiration and activities of beta-glucosidase, L-asparaginase, alkali phosphatase and arylsulphatase enzymes in the composted products all decreased. It could be concluded that addition of fly ash to green waste at a proportion higher than 25% did not improve the quality parameters of manufactured soil.

For the economy of any co-firing process, it is important that the common waste management options of ash remain practical. Ash from bituminous coal combustion is typically handed to the construction industry. This paper describes the current European legislation on use of ash for construction purposes. Also, it presents an experimental study on the suitability of fly ash from combustion of mixtures of bituminous coal and municipal sewage sludge as additive to cement and concrete, and for use in open-air construction works, based on the ash chemical composition and the characteristics of the extract of the ash. Presently, two European standards forbid the use of ash from co-firing as additive to cement or concrete. This study shows that ash derived from coal and sewage sludge co-firing contains generally less unburned carbon, alkali, magnesium oxide, chlorine, and sulfate than coalash. Only the concentration of free lime in mixed ash is higher than in coal, even though, at least up to 25% of the thermal input, still below the requirements of the standards. This ash also meets the requirements for the use of fly ash in open-air construction works--concentration and mobility of few elements--although this management option is forbidden to ash from co-firing. The leaching of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn was investigated with three leaching tests. The concentration of these metals in the extracts was below the detection limit in most cases. The concentration of Cu and Zn in the extract from fly ash was found to increase with increasing share of sewage sludge in the fuel mixture. However, the concentration of these two metals in the extract is not regulated. This study indicates that excluding a priori the use of ash from co-firing as a suitable additive for construction material could cause an unnecessary burden on the environment, since probably ash would have to be disposed of in landfill. However, allowing this requires the modification of current European standards

The objective of this report is to compare the leaching of portland cement-based materials that have been prepared with and without coal combustion fly ash to illustrate whether there is evidence that the use of fly ash in cement and concrete products may result in increased leac...

This paper presents the results of investigation of the chemical composition and other properties of ash generated in the coal combustion process in the coal-fired power plants Kosovo, in order to determine the possibilities for biological land reclamation on ash dumps and other degraded soil surfaces. It was established that a certain chemical composition of ash has a beneficial effect on biological land reclamation of ash dumps, thus protecting the environment (i.e. the area surrounding the ash dumps), against pollution. It was concluded that, because of the high percentage of calcium and other earth-alkaline and toxic elements, the ash should not be used as substitution for agricultural production. Ash dumps in Kosovo are not so susceptible to erosion since CaO{sub 3} acts as a binding component. 22 refs., 7 tabs.

The observed iron mobilization rate from size-fractionated coal fly ash is consistent with the model predictions for a limiting case of mass transfer where the dominant resistance is diffusion through a layer of depleted solid between the surface of spherical particles and a shrinking core of unreacted material. The rate of mobilization of iron from coal fly ash under physiologically relevant conditions in vitro was previously shown to depend on the size of the ash particles and on the source of the coal, and these in vitro measurements have been shown to correlate with indirect measurements of excess iron in cultured cells. Existing iron mobilization data were compared to mathematical models for mass transfer and chemical reaction in solid-liquid heterogeneous systems. Liquid-phase diffusion resistance can be ruled out as the rate-limiting mechanism for iron mobilization as the model predictions for this case are clearly inconsistent with the measurements. Other plausible hypotheses, such as a rate limited by a heterogeneous surface reaction, cannot be conclusively ruled out by the available data. These mathematical analysis methods are applicable to the design of future experiments to determine the rate-limiting mechanism for the mobilization of iron and of other transition metals from both ambient air samples and surrogates for major sources of particulate air pollution. PMID:10813655

Potentially acid forming (PAF) materials are encapsulated with non-acid forming materials (NAF) in order to prevent acid mine drainage (AMD) in surface coal mines. NAF compaction techniques with fly and bottom ashes from coal-fired power plants are used in mines with limited amounts of NAF materials. This study investigated the weathering behaviour of blended overburden and coal combustion ash in laboratory conditions. Free draining column leach tests were conducted on different blending schemes. The weathering process was simulated by spraying the samples with de-ionized water once per day. The leachates were then analyzed using X-ray diffraction and fluorescence analyses in order to identify the mineral composition of the samples over a 14 week period. Results of the study indicated that the weathering process plays a significant role in controlling infiltration rates, and may increase the capability of capping materials to prevent infiltration into PAF materials. Fly- and bottom-ash additions improved the performance of the encapsulation materials. 3 refs., 4 tabs., 2 figs.

The NBS coal and fly ash Standard Reference Materials (SRM 1632 and 1633) were analyzed for 37 elements in coal and 41 elements in fly ash mainly by the use of instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), augmented by instrumental photon activation analysis (IPAA) and direct counting of natural γ-ray activity. For most elements measured, there was excellent interlaboratory agreement between the four participating laboratories and with the National Bureau of Standards values for elements measured by them and in this work. In cases of most elements for which comparisons can be made, instrumental nuclear methods used in a round-robin study of the standards provided more accurate average concentrations and smaller interlaboratory dispersions of values than the other major techniques used, atomic absorption spectrometry and optical emission spectroscopy

Metal contamination from coalashes (CAs) is widely recognized as a significant environmental concern. To learn more about metal detoxification and accumulation potential of earthworm species, metal-rich tea factory coalashes (TFCA) were fed to Eisenia fetida and Lampito mauritii by employing a fluorescent tag detection method. Fascinatingly, on feeding fluorescence probed Zn and Cd along with cow dung to Eisenia fetida, the detection of the gut-proteins with a molecular mass higher than 100 kDa was a distinct evidence of metal binding. Significant increases were observed in the content of humified organic C [humic acid (HAC) and fulvic acid C (FAC)] and degree of humification during vermicomposting. Concurrently, considerably large amount of toxic metals (Cr, Cd, Pb, and Zn) was transformed from exchangeable to recalcitrant (organic matter and mineral bound) fractions. Moreover, total metal concentrations were reduced with high removal efficiency upon vermicomposting. PMID:27456167

Our recent progress on developments of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) based equipments for on-line monitoring of pulverized coal and unburned carbon (UC) level of fly ash are reviewed. A fully software-controlled LIBS equipment comprising a self-cleaning device for on-line coal quality monitoring in power plants is developed. The system features an automated sampling device, which is capable of elemental (C, Ca, Mg, Ti, Si, H, Al, Fe, S, and organic oxygen) and proximate analysis ( Q ad and A ad) through optimal data processing methods. An automated prototype LIBS apparatus has been developed for possible application to power plants for on-line analysis of UC level in fly ash. New data processing methods are proposed to correct spectral interference and matrix effects, with the accuracy for UC level analysis estimated to be 0.26%.

Full Text Available The present article addresses the possible use of coal fly ash as the chief component of sprayed mortars to fireproof steel structures. A pilot wet-mix gunning rig was specifically designed and built to spray different pastes on to sheet steel and sections with different surface/volume ratios. After gunning, the specimens were placed in a furnace and subjected to standard fire resistance testing. Product fire resistance was calculated from the test results. The mortar used in this study, with a high fly ash content, was found to have acceptable mechanical properties as well as afire resistance potential comparable to those of commercial passive fire protection products.

Graphical abstract: The appearance of bead-like whiskers indicated that the growth mechanism of the β-Sialon whiskers was different from the conventional one, in which a chain of droplets were formed and then consumed to participate in the formation of the whiskers. - Highlights: • β-Sialon whiskers were synthesized using waste fly ash by carbothemal reduction reaction under nitrogen atmosphere. • Rod-like β-Sialon whiskers with a diameter of 100–500 nm were formed. • Bead-like whiskers as intermediate morphology of the growing β-Sialon whiskers were found with increasing sintering time. • The growth mechanism of β-Sialon whiskers was different from the conventional VLS mechanism. • A chain of droplets were formed and participated in the formation of the whiskers. - Abstract: β-Sialon whiskers were produced at 1420 °C through carbothemal reduction reaction under nitrogen atmosphere using fly ash from coal-fired power plants. The effects of sintering time on the phase formation and morphology of the products were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) techniques. Rod-like β-Sialon whiskers with the diameter of 100–500 nm were successfully formed. With increasing sintering time, bead-like morphology during the growth process of the whiskers was found, and growth mechanism of β-Sialon whiskers was also discussed in detail. The growth mechanism proposed in this study was different from the conventional vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism

This paper aims to study the ash incorporation from the combustion of coal in fluidized bed boilers, in production of mortar, replacing part of cement. Specimens were prepared using Portland cement to the specifications CPII-E-32 of normal characteristics and classification of sand below 100 mesh. Blends in the 4:1 ratio, that is, 4 parts of aggregate to 1 part of cement, with insertion of ashes in the proportions 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50%. The mortar was developed in mixing and casting was made in a mold of 5 cm x 10 cm. The behavior of compressive strength was evaluated after 28 days; the strength decreases with increasing percentage of ash. Additional analysis was carried out by X-ray diffraction, and it was found that the substitution of this waste can be successfully used in mortars with blends of up to 30%. (author)

Environmental justice movements often contest environmental knowledge by engaging in scientific debates, which implies accepting the predominance of scientific discourses over alternative forms of knowledge. Using Bourdieu's concept of symbolic violence, this paper warns that the engagement with hegemonic forms of knowledge production may reproduce, rather than challenge, existing social and environmental inequalities. The argument is developed with reference to a case study of coalash pollu...

Fly ash samples were collected in November and December of 1994, from generating units at a Kentucky power station using high- and low-sulfur feed coals. The samples are part of a two-year study of the coal and coal combustion byproducts from the power station. The ashes were wet screened at 100, 200, 325, and 500 mesh (150, 75, 42, and 25 ??m, respectively). The size fractions were then dried, weighed, split for petrographic and chemical analysis, and analyzed for ash yield and carbon content. The low-sulfur "heavy side" and "light side" ashes each have a similar size distribution in the November samples. In contrast, the December fly ashes showed the trend observed in later months, the light-side ash being finer (over 20 % more ash in the -500 mesh [-25 ??m] fraction) than the heavy-side ash. Carbon tended to be concentrated in the coarse fractions in the December samples. The dominance of the -325 mesh (-42 ??m) fractions in the overall size analysis implies, though, that carbon in the fine sizes may be an important consideration in the utilization of the fly ash. Element partitioning follows several patterns. Volatile elements, such as Zn and As, are enriched in the finer sizes, particularly in fly ashes collected at cooler, light-side electrostatic precipitator (ESP) temperatures. The latter trend is a function of precipitation at the cooler-ESP temperatures and of increasing concentration with the increased surface area of the finest fraction. Mercury concentrations are higher in high-carbon fly ashes, suggesting Hg adsorption on the fly ash carbon. Ni and Cr are associated, in part, with the spinel minerals in the fly ash. Copyright ?? 1999 Taylor & Francis.

We describe laboratory and field results of a novel arsenic removal adsorbent called 'Arsenic Removal Using Bottom Ash' (ARUBA). ARUBA is prepared by coating particles of coal bottom ash, a waste material from coal fired power plants, with iron (hydr)oxide. The coating process is simple and conducted at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Material costs for ARUBA are estimated to be low (~;;$0.08 per kg) and arsenic remediation with ARUBA has the potential to be affordable to resource-constrained communities. ARUBA is used for removing arsenic via a dispersal-and-removal process, and we envision that ARUBA would be used in community-scale water treatment centers. We show that ARUBA is able to reduce arsenic concentrations in contaminated Bangladesh groundwater to below the Bangladesh standard of 50 ppb. Using the Langmuir isotherm (R2 = 0.77) ARUBA's adsorption capacity in treating real groundwater is 2.6x10-6 mol/g (0.20 mg/g). Time-to-90percent (defined as the time interval for ARUBA to remove 90percent of the total amount of arsenic that is removed at equilibrium) is less than one hour. Reaction rates (pseudo-second-order kinetic model, R2>_ 0.99) increase from 2.4x105 to 7.2x105 g mol-1 min-1 as the groundwater arsenic concentration decreases from 560 to 170 ppb. We show that ARUBA's arsenic adsorption density (AAD), defined as the milligrams of arsenic removed at equilibrium per gram of ARUBA added, is linearly dependent on the initial arsenic concentration of the groundwater sample, for initial arsenic concentrations of up to 1600 ppb and an ARUBA dose of 4.0 g/L. This makes it easy to determine the amount of ARUBA required to treat a groundwater source when its arsenic concentration is known and less than 1600 ppb. Storing contaminated groundwater for two to three days before treatment is seen to significantly increase ARUBA's AAD. ARUBA can be separated from treated water by coagulation and clarification, which is expected to

Full Text Available Problem statement: One focus in recent atmospheric pollution
research is on fine Particle Matter (PM, especially as result of increasing traffic
and anthropogenic activity in urban areas. Here, the impact on animal and human
health has been in the center of many studies. Despite the fact that PM depositions
can affect plants on the long term, there are only few studies about the impact
on plants conducted. Approach: Therefore we studied the impact
of PM on plants, using naturally occurring silica dusts (diatomaceous earth and
hard Coal Fly Ash (CFA from burning processes. Dusts were applied onto Brassica
chinensis L. using a simple duster (covering upper leaf surfaces or electrostatically
(covering leaf upper and -underside. Results: Main components
of the tested CFA are SO42-, K, Ca and NH4+. The pH value of eluates was found
to be around 9.5 in CFA and 5.7 in silica. B. chinensis was insensitive towards
the high pH and showed no growth reduction when grown in silica or CFA substrate.
PM deposition on leaf surfaces results through shading in a reduced photosynthetic
activity. The reduction is relatively higher at higher light intensities. Photosynthesis
stays reduced after removal of silica PM from leaf surfaces. We assume that stomata
get cloaked by small particles and that silica absorbs lipids from the epicuticle
resulting in a general stress reaction. Smaller sized silica particles resulted
in a higher reduction of CO2-absorption. Next to particle size is the photosynthesis
negatively correlated with exposure time for silica PM. The chlorophyll fluorescence
data indicate that dust-covered leaves exhibited significantly lower quantum yield
of PS II and a reduced quantum efficiency of PS II and therefore supported the
gas exchange data. Conclusion: Reduced photosynthetic performance
would be expected to reduce growth and productivity of B. chinensis. In contrast
to silica hard coal fly ash

The aim of this study was to investigate desulfurization and de-ashing of a mixture of subbituminous coal and gangue minerals by the agglomeration method. For this purpose, experimental studies were conducted on a mixture containing subbituminous coal, pyrite, quartz and calcite. The effects of some parameters that markedly influence the effectiveness of selective oil agglomeration, such as solid concentration, pH, bridging liquid type and concentration, and depressant type and amount, were investigated. Agglomeration results showed that the usage of various depressants (Na{sub 2}SiO{sub 3}, FeCl3, corn starch, wheat starch) in the agglomeration medium has a positive effect on the reduction of ash and total sulfur content of agglomerates. It was found that an agglomerate product containing 3.03% total sulfur and 25.01% ash with a total sulfur reduction of 56.71% was obtained from a feed that contained 7% total sulfur and 43.58% ash when FeCl{sub 3} was used in the agglomeration medium.

Currently, there is renewed interest in the agricultural utilization of coal combustion byproducts. Field sites where high rates (112 Mg) ha-1 of high gypsum coal combustion spent bed ashes were surface applied in 1980 within fruit tree orchard rows were identified and sampled with depth. The objective of this study was to examine the effects on long-term exposure/leaching of these mateials on soil profile chemical properties. When applied, the material had an aqueous pH of 12.5 and consisted of about 52% calcium sulfate, 33% calcium oxide and 15% coalash residues. Eleven years after ash applications, soil pH is significantly higher in the top 66 cm of the treated sites compared to unamended sites. This has been accompanied by increases in extractable and total calcium and total boron and sulfur with a concomitant reduction in extractable magnesium. Remaining pieces of the applied spent bed material are composed primarily of calcite and quartz with some gypsum associated with large pieces

Full Text Available Rapid urbanization and industrialization of our world has led to accumulation of enormous number of contaminants in our environment. Heavy metal ions hold a superlative position in that list and are responsible for contaminating soil, air and water in many parts of the world. Adsorption technology is emerging as a sustainable effective solution. The possibility of using Coal fly ash as an alternative adsorbent for divalent metal ions (Zn2+, Cu2+ removal from simulated solutions was studied. The coal fly ash was characterised by Brunauer Emmet Teller (BET, X-ray diffraction (XRD, X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF and Fourier transforminfrared (FT-IR. Optimum adsorption conditions were determined as a function of pH, adsorbent dosage and contact time for Zn2+ and Cu2+ removal. The adsorption of metal ions was found to be pH dependant.Equilibrium data fitted well to the Freundlich model with R2 values as 0.9932, 0.9971 for Cu2+, Zn2+, respectively. The study showed that disposed coal fly ash could be used as an efficient adsorbent material for the removal of metal ions from aqueous solution.

Full Text Available The influence of coal fly ash and glass fiber waste on the tensile strength of cement concrete was studied using central composite design. Coal fly ash was used to replace 10% of the cement in the concrete mix. Glass fiber was added to improve the tensile properties of the concrete in different dosages and lengths. In total, 14 mixes were investigated, one only with 10% coal fly ash replacement of cement and the other thirteen were determined by the experimental design. Using analysis of variance, the order of importance of the variables was established for each property (flexural strength and split tensile strength. From the nonlinear response surfaces, it was found that higher values of flexural strength were obtained for fibers longer than 12 mm and at a dosage of 1-2%. For split tensile strength, higher values were obtained for fibers with a length of 19–28 mm and at a dosage of 1–1.5%.

The main mineral melting behavior and mineral reaction mechanism at molecular level of Chinese blended coalash under gasification condition (30% H{sub 2}, 66% CO, 4% CO{sub 2}) from 1073 K to 1573 K were studied through the ASTM test, X-ray diffraction (XRD), ternary phase diagram system and quantum chemistry calculation with ab-initio calculations. The results show that with increasing blending mass fraction of low ash fusion temperature (AFT) ash (ash B), the location of blended ash in ternary systems is transferred from the mullite region to the anorthite region, as the dominant crystal mineral of blended ash at around DT (XRD analysis) is also transferred from mullite to anorthite. The calcium-bearing minerals, such as anhydrite, calcite etc., can react with mullite and the precursors of mullite (metakaolinite etc.), which is one of the main refractory minerals in high AFT ash (ash A), and is converted into low-melting minerals (anorthite, gehlenite, and fayalite etc.) in the temperature range between 1273 K and 1403 K. The reaction between mullite and CaO to form anorthite plays a significant role in decreasing AFTs of blended coalash A/B. It is because the chemical activity of the highest occupied molecular orbits (HOMO) in mullite cluster is stronger than that of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbits (LUMO) in mullite cluster, the Ca{sup 2+} as electron acceptor can easily enter into the crystal lattice of mullite mainly through O (7) and O (12) and cause the rupture of bonds Al (1)-O (13) (in the [AlO{sub 6}]{sup 9-}-octahedron) and Al (8)-O (13) (in the [AlO{sub 4}]{sup 5-}-tetrahedron), which are weaker than any other bonds in crystal lattice of mullite. Finally, the entrance of Ca{sup 2+} can force mullite to transform to anorthite by the effect of Ca{sup 2+}, and the entered Ca{sup 2+} is located in the center of [SiO{sub 4}]{sup 4-}-tetrahedron ring in the anorthite crystal lattice. Taking the [SiO{sub 4}]{sup 4{sup -}}-tetrahedron, which is

Full Text Available The limitations of the availability of energy sources especially fuel oil has become a serious threat for the society. The use of coal for energy source as the replacement of fuel oil, in one hand, is very profitable, but on the other hand, will cause problem which is the coalash residue. This coalash is a by-product of coal combustion. This coalash contains bottom ash. Through this observation, the bottom ash can be processed to be charcoal if added by teak leaves, coconut shell, and rice husk. Also, this observation needs to add binder materials for further processing in order to form briquette. It can be used as alternative fuel, the utilization of bottom ash and biomass will give positive impact to the environment. This observation was conducted by using compositions such as bottom ash, teak leaves, coconut shell, and rice husk. The treatment was using comparison 100%:0% ; 80%:20% ; 60%:40% ; 50%:50% ; 40%:60% ; 20%:80% ; 0%:100%. The result that the best briquette was on the composition of 20% bottom ash : 80% coconut shell. The characteristic values from that composition were moisture content of 3.45%, ash content of 17,32%, calorific value of 7.945,72 Cal/gr, compressive strength of 2,18 kg/cm2, level of CO of 105 mg/m3, and heavy metals Cu of 29,83 µg/g and Zn 32,99 µg/g. The characteristic value from each briquette composition treatment showed that the increasing usage proportion of biomass as added material for briquette was able to increase its moisture content and calorific value. Besides, it is also able to decrease its ash content and compressive strength

In this study ash Ts (sintering temperature) is proposed as an index to evaluate deposition propensity during coal and biomass co-firing. The experiments were carried out in a drop-tube furnace and the resulting ash samples were collected. Ts of the ash samples was measured with a pressure-drop sintering device. The chemical compositions and mineral phase characteristics of the ashes were also analyzed using ICP (inductively coupled plasma), SEM (scanning electron microscope) and XRD (X-ray diffraction), respectively. Ts decreased with increasing the mass ratio of biomass to coal with a non-linear relationship. The straw showed a more significant effect on the ash sintering temperature than the sawdust. The limitation of contents in the fuel blends should be 15% and 50% for straw and sawdust, respectively. SEM analysis indicated that biomass promoted ash deposition by accelerating the formation of neck between ash particles. Transformations of the mineral matter to lower sintering temperatures during co-firing had occurred. - Highlights: • We studied the impact of biomass types and content on ash sintering from co-firing. • The relationship between ash sintering temperature and B:A ratio was established. • The introduction of biomass promoted the ash sintering behavior. • We studied the law for transformation of elemental compositions during co-firing. • Coal–biomass blends should be limited to 15% for straw and 50% for sawdust

The Heavy Water Board at Manuguru has a captive power plant using 2500 tpd of coal producing about 1000 tpd of ash. The possible toxic metal contamination of ground water due to leaching of the ash (so that toxic elements do not seep through one pond and contaminate the ground water) are assessed. Samples of coal, fly ash, bottom ash, ash pond overflow water, river water, ash pond slurry, soil (surface and depth) were analysed for major and trace element contents using EDXRF, INAA, AAS, and Anodic Stripping Voltammetry. The cation exchange capacity of the underlying soil and the fly ash were determined by standard method using calcium as the cation indicator. The redox potential and the pH of the samples were measured by using Pt/Mo and glass/calomel system respectively. The size distribution of fly ash particles were also determined. The study conclusively shows that the leach percent being very small and the soil having good cation exchange capacity there is negligible probability of contamination of ground water from ash pond and therefore there is no dire need for providing any impervious lining for the ash pond. (author). 23 refs., 19 tabs., 16 figs., 1 appendix

We reported our preliminary results on the use of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy to analyze the rare earth elements contained in ash samples from Powder River Basin sub-bituminous coal (PRB-coal). We have identified many elements in the lanthanide series (cerium, europium, holmium, lanthanum, lutetium, praseodymium, promethium, samarium, terbium, ytterbium) and some elements in the actinide series (actinium, thorium, uranium, plutonium, berkelium, californium) in the ash samples. In addition, various metals were also seen to present in the ash samples

The synthesis of zeolites from fly ash has become an increasingly promising remedy to the crisis of coal fly ash production and disposal in South Africa. In recent studies, South African fly ash was proven to be a suitable feedstock for the synthesis of essential industrially used zeolite A. However, the process involves a costly energy intensive step whereby fly ash is fused at high temperatures, which may make the process economically unattractive on a large scale. The aim of this study is to investigate the possibility of replacing high temperature fusion with less energy intensive sonochemical treatment for the synthesis of zeolite A. Sonochemical treatment was first thought possible due to the violent cavitation caused by high intensity sonication. The results of the study showed that fusion can be replaced by 10 min of high intensity sonication. The incorporation of sonication also consequently reduced the crystallization temperature of the process making it possible to synthesize a pure phase zeolite A at lower temperatures and reduced times. This study effectively developed a novel process to replace the energy intensive fusion step with a short, easy and inexpensive treatment. Scale up of this synthesis approach may proffer a promising alternative option to the anticipated energy demand of the synthesis of fly ash-based zeolite with fusion method. PMID:26964958

Full Text Available Coal fly ash (CFA was used as raw material for zeolite synthesis by fusion method. In detail, it was mixed with NaOH (with ratio of 2.25 and treated under various temperatures. Synthesized zeolite was characterized using various techniques i.e. X-rayfluorescence (XRF, X-ray diffraction (XRD, and BET surface area analysis. It was found that the surface area of synthesized zeolite were in the range of 49.407-69.136 m2/g depending on the preparing condition, compared to the surface area of CFA about 17.163 m2/g. In addition, according to the XRD result, it was proven that the form of zeolite was Sodium Aluminum Silicate Hydrate (1.08Na2O.Al2O3.1.68SiO2.1.8H2O. The synthesized zeolite was then applied as water sorbent to remove water from ethanol solution (95%. The testing results revealed that the optimal fusion temperature was 450.C, which provided maximum percentage of water removal from ethanol solution (from 95% ethanol to 99.25% ethanol. For comparison, commercial-grade molecular sieve was also tested and was found to increase ethanol concentration from 95% to 99.61%. Hence, it is concluded that our synthesized zeolite provides comparable performance to the commercial-grade molecular sieve.

The removal of oil from oily wastewater in thermal power plant by coal fly ash(CFA) was investigated. It contained about 2.5 g/L of mineral oil,which had to be treated efficiently before it was discharged. The experiments were carried out as a function of different initial concentrations of oil,mass dosage,contact time and pH value to obtain the optimum conditions for the removal of oil from oily wastewater. The experimental results show that CFA presents the most suitable conditions for the removal of oil from waste-water at a dosage of CFA 2.5 g/L,15 min of contact time and a pH value of 4.8. The adsorption process is performed with almost 96% of oil removal from wastewater. The kinetic data meet the second-order kinetic model. The Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models were applied to describing the experimental isotherms and isotherm constants. The equilibrium data fit very well with the Freundlich model.

In order to synthesize Na-X zeolite from coal fly ash (Fa), Fa was pretreated under stirring condition at various temperatures of 20-50{sup o}C for 72 h and then aged at 85{sup o}C for a given period with NaOH solutions. The resulting materials were characterized by various means. When Fa was aged for 72 h without pretreatment, species P were formed. As the pretreating temperature raised from 20 to 50{sup o}C, the degree of crystallinity of faujasite increased, while that of species P decreased. The faujasite species formed was identified as Na-X zeolite with molar ratio SiO{sub 2}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} = 2.4. When Fa was pretreated at 50{sup o}C and aged for 60 h, the only species formed was Na-X zeolite. Increasing the pretreating temperature up to 50{sup o}C results in the increase of Si{sup 4+} and Al{sup 3+} concentrations in the treating solution by dissolution of amorphous material in Fa. With the conditions used, the crystalline phase, such as alpha-quartz and mullite, was poorly dissolved during the treatment. Hence, the higher pretreating temperature would give the uniform nucleation and crystal growth of Na-X zeolite during the aging.

Full Text Available In order to address the problem with titania distribution and recovery, series of Ti0.91O2/CFA photocatalysts (Ti0.91O2/CFA-n, n=2,4,6, and 8 were fabricated by assembling Ti0.91O2 nanosheets on coal fly ash (CFA microspheres via the layer-by-layer assembly (LBLA process and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD, N2-sorption, and ultraviolet-visible absorption (UV-vis techniques. The SEM images and UV-vis spectra illustrated that Ti0.91O2 nanosheets were immobilized successfully on the CFA by the LBLA approach and changed the characteristics of CFA noticeably. The photocatalytic activity of Ti0.91O2/CFA was evaluated by the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB under UV irradiation. The results demonstrated that Ti0.91O2/CFA-6 showed the best photocatalytic activity among the series of Ti0.91O2/CFA irradiated for 60 min, with a decoloration rate above 43%. After photocatalysis, the Ti0.91O2/CFA could be easily separated and recycled from aqueous solution and Ti0.91O2 nanosheets were still anchored on the CFA.

Coal fly ash (CFA) is a significant environmental pollutant that presents a respiratory hazard when airborne. Although previous studies have identified the mineral components of CFA, there is a paucity of information on the structural habits of these minerals. Samples from UK, Polish and Chinese power stations were studied to further our understanding of the factors that affect CFA geochemistry and mineralogy. ICP-MS, FE-SEM/EDX, XRD, and laser diffraction were used to study physicochemical characteristics. Analysis revealed important differences in the elemental compositions and particle size distributions of samples between sites. Microscopy of HF acid-etched CFA revealed the mullite present possesses a fibrous habit; fibres ranged in length between 1 and 10 μm. Respirable particles (<10 μm) were frequently observed to contain fibrous mullite. We propose that the biopersistence of these refractory fibres in the lung environment could be contributing towards chronic lung diseases seen in communities and individuals continually exposed to high levels of CFA. - Highlights: → Chinese CFA had a greater crystalline mineral content and smaller particle size. → Mullite and quartz, two hazardous minerals, recrystallise from glass melt particles. → Mullite revealed a fibrous habit, with fibres 1-10 μm in length and 0.5-1 μm in width. - Chinese CFA possessed a greater crystalline mineral content and smaller particle size than UK and Polish CFA, the fibrous mullite prhiesent displayed a high aspect-ratio and thus is likely to be a respiratory hazard in vivo.

The use of coal in power plants needs a prior knowledge of the ash and sulphur content. The instrumental analysis of these parameters by means of radioisotope energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence is a rapid and non-destructive method whose application to coals can be very attractive when compared with traditional methods of laboratory analysis. (Author)

Serbian thermal power plants (TPPs) produce siliceous fly ash from lignite in the quantity of approximately 6 million tons per year. The potential market for the use of fly ash is operational, but for the time being, only used by cement producers. Fly ash radioactivity could be one of the major points of concern when larger use of fly ash is planned, particularly in the Serbian construction industry. Radioactivity measurements have been conducted regularly ...

A fully mechanized coal mining with backfilling (FMCMB) provides advantages of safety and efficiency for coal mining under buildings,railways,and water bodies.According to the field geological conditions,we analyzed the controlling effect of strata movement by the waste and fly ash backfilling in FMCMB face.Based on the key strata theory,we established the equivalent mining thickness model,and analyzed the action of the bulk factor of backfilling body to the equivalent mining thickness.In addition,we numerically simulated the controlling function of the strata movement by backfilling bodies with different strength.And the numerical simulation result show that the deformation of stratum and the subsidence of surface can be controlled by FMCMB.The result provides references to the effective execution of fully mechanized coal mining with solid waste backfilling in goal.

At the Stuttgart University's Institute of Process Engineering and Power Plant Technology (IVD) investigations of in-furnace DeNOx technologies with regard to their NOx reduction efficiency are carried out using an electrically heated bench-scale test facility to evaluate the effect of different process parameters independently. The DeNOx technologies of air and fuel staging have been demonstrated to be effective control techniques to reduce NOx from stationary sources. For a wide range of brown and hard coals from Europe, South Africa and Australia test runs with air-staged combustion have been carried out. The ash content of the hard coals used was in the range between 8 and 28%. The investigated parameters were temperature (1000-1300{degree}C), stoichiometry (1.25-0.55), and residence time (1-6 s) in the fuel rich primary zone. With increasing temperatures and residence times in fuel-rich conditions in air-staged combustion NOx emissions below 300 mg/m{sup 3} can be achieved even with hard coals. For a few brown coals NOx values lower than 100 mg/m{sup 3} are possible. Dependent on the coal rank individual parameters are more important than others. For low and medium volatile hard coals the increasing of the residence time is more effective than higher temperature or lower air ratios in the primary zone. However, with high volatile hard coal or brown coal as primary fuel the influence of temperature and stoichiometry in the primary zone plays a key role for NOx reduction effectiveness. The burnout led to restrictions in large scale applications for air-staged combustion especially with hard coals as primary fuel. Investigations at different primary air ratios and temperatures show the effect of these parameters on the burnout values along the course of combustion. 7 refs., 14 figs., 2 tabs.

The major element and Sr isotope systematics and geochemistry of coal fly ash and its interactions with environmental waters were investigated using laboratory flow-through column leaching experiments (sodium carbonate, acetic acid, nitric acid) and sequential batch leaching experiments (water, acetic acid, hydrochloric acid). Column leaching of Class F fly ash samples shows rapid release of most major elements early in the leaching procedure, suggesting an association of these elements with soluble and surface bound phases. Delayed release of certain elements (e.g., Al, Fe, Si) signals gradual dissolution of more resistant silicate or glass phases as leaching continues. Strontium isotope results from both column and batch leaching experiments show a marked increase in {sup 87}Sr/{sup 86}Sr ratio with continued leaching, yielding a total range of values from 0.7107 to 0.7138. For comparison, the isotopic composition of fluid output from a fly ash impoundment in West Virginia falls in a narrow range around 0.7124. The experimental data suggest the presence of a more resistant, highly radiogenic silicate phase that survives the combustion process and is leached after the more soluble minerals are removed. Strontium isotopic homogenization of minerals in coal does not always occur during the combustion process, despite the high temperatures encountered in the boiler. Early-released Sr tends to be isotopically uniform; thus the Sr isotopic composition of fly ash could be distinguishable from other sources and is a useful tool for quantifying the possible contribution of fly ash leaching to the total dissolved load in natural surface and ground waters.

A five-step sequential extraction (SE) procedure was used to investigate the leaching behaviour and geochemical partitioning of the trace elements As, Zn, Pb, Ni, Mo, Cr and Cu in a 20-year-old fly ash (FA) dump. The weathered FA, which was hydraulically co-disposed with salt laden brine in slurry form (FA: brine ratio of 1:5), was analyzed and compared with fresh FA. The weathered FA samples were collected from three cores, drilled at a coal-fired power station in the Republic of South Africa while the fresh FA sample was collected from the hoppers in the ash collection system at the power station. The FA samples were sequentially leached using: ultrapure water; ammonium acetate buffer solution (pH 7); ammonium acetate buffer solution (pH 5); hydroxylamine hydrochloride in nitric acid (pH 2) and finally the residues were digested using a combination of HClO4: HF: HNO3 acids. Digestion of as received (unleached) FA samples was also done using a combination of HClO4: HF: HNO3 acids in order to determine the total metal content. The trace element analysis was done using ICP-OES (Varian 710-ES). The SE procedure revealed that the trace elements present in the fresh FA and the weathered FA samples obtained from the three cores could leach upon exposure to different environmental conditions. The trace elements showed continuous partitioning between five geochemical phases i.e., water soluble fraction, exchangeable fraction, carbonate fraction, Fe and Mn fraction and residual fraction. Although the highest concentration of the trace elements (ranging 65.51%-86.34%) was contained in the residual fraction, a considerable amount of each trace element (ranging 4.42%-27.43%) was released from the labile phases (water soluble, exchangeable and carbonate fractions), indicating that the trace species readily leach from the dumped FA under environmental conditions thus pose a danger to the receiving environment and to groundwater. PMID:24171424

Hollow microsphere zeolite materials with a bilayered zeolite/glass crystalline shell bearing NaP1 zeolite were synthesized by the hydrothermal treatment of coal fly ash cenospheres (Si/Al = 2.7) in an alkaline medium. Cs+ and/or Sr2+ forms of zeolitized cenospheres with the different Cs+ and/or Sr2+ loading were prepared by the ion exchange from nitrate solutions. The resulted (Cs,Na)P1, (Sr,Na)P1 and (Cs,Sr,Na)P1 bearing microsphere zeolites were converted to glass ceramics by heating at 900–1000 °C. The differential scanning calorimetry and quantitative phase analysis were used to monitor the solid-phase transformation of the initial and ion exchanged zeolite materials. It was established that the final solidified forms of Cs+ and/or Sr2+ are glass–crystalline ceramic materials based on pollucite–nepheline, Sr-feldspar–nepheline and Sr-feldspar–pollucite composites including ∼60 wt.% of the major host phases (pollucite, Sr-feldspar) and 10–20 wt.% of glass. The 137Cs leaching rate of 4.1 × 10−7 g cm−2 day−1 was determined for the pollucite glass–ceramic according to Russian State Standard (GOST) No. 52126 P-2003 (7 day, 25 °C, distilled water)

Full Text Available An active absorbent for flue gas desulfurization was prepared from coal bottom ash, calcium oxide (CaO and calcium sulfate by hydro-thermal process. The absorbent was examined for its micro-structural properties. The experiments conducted were based on Design Of Experiments (DOE according to 23 factorial design. The effect of various absorbent preparation variables such as ratio of CaO to bottom ash (A, hydration temperature (B and hydration period (C towards the BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area of the absorbent were studied. At a CaO to bottom ash ratio = 2, hydration temperature = 200 ?C and hydration period = 10 hrs, absorbent with a surface area of 90.1 m2/g was obtained. Based on the analysis of the factorial design, it was concluded that factor A and C as well as the interaction of factors ABC and BC are the significant factors that effect the BET surface area of the absorbent. A linear mathematical model that describes the relation between the independent variables and interaction between variables towards the BET specific surface area of the absorbent was also developed. Analysis of variance (ANOVA showed that the model was significant at 1% level.Key Words: Absorbent, Bottom Ash, Design Of Experiments, Desulfurization, Surface Area.

Full Text Available In power plant, coalash obtained by combustion is mixed with river water and transported to the dump. Sequential extraction was used in order to assess pollution caused by leaching of elements during ash transport through the pipeline and in the storage (cassettes. A total of 80 samples of filter ash as well as the ash from active (currently filled and passive (previously filled cassettes were studied. Samples were extracted with distilled water, ammonium acetate, ammonium oxalate/oxalic acid, acidic solution of hydrogen-peroxide, and a hydrochloric acid. Concentrations of the several elements (Al, As, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, Ba, Ca, Mg, Ni, Pb, and Zn in all extracts were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Pattern recognition method was carried out in order to provide better understanding of the nature of distribution of elements according to their origins. Results indicate possible leaching of As, Ca, Cd, Cu, Zn, and Pb. Among these elements As, Cd, and Pb are toxicologically the most important but they were not present in the first two phases with the exception of As. The leaching could be destructive and cause negative effects on plants, water pollution, and damage to some life forms.

A 3-year field study was conducted at a 12 ha soil-borrow area adjacent to the Columbia Metropolitan Airport, South Carolina to investigate the restorative effects of co-application of coal fly ash (FA) and a poultry biosolid (PB). FA was applied at 0, 22, 280, 560 and 1120 Mg (tonne) ha(-1), and PB at 5 and 10 Mg ha(-1). The area was seeded with erosion-control species Atlantic Coastal panic grass (Panicum amarum var amarum L.), sericea (Lespedeza cuneata var. appalow [Dumont] G. Don.) and weeping love grass (Eragrostis curvula Wolf.). Plant biomass and elemental composition were analyzed in sequential harvests. Soil and groundwater quality characteristics including pH, EC and elemental composition were also monitored throughout the study. In addition, the effect of amendments on the water holding capacity and bulk density of the soil was investigated. Amendment addition significantly increased plant biomass production by a maximum of 26% using 1120 Mg ha(-1) FA and 10 Mg ha(-1) PB. Application of the highest rate of FA significantly increased the plant tissue concentrations of Mn, As, Se and B. Soil pH was initially increased from 4.6 to 6.1 by amendments. Soil salinity was increased in the initial year only. Amended soils had higher concentrations of Ca, Mg, P and K, higher organic matter content and water holding capacity than unamended soil. Concentrations of plant-essential trace elements (B, Cu and Zn) that were marginally deficient in the unamended eroded soil increased to within typical soil concentrations following amendment with FA and PB. Groundwater quality was unaffected throughout the study. The co-application of FA and PB successfully promoted the revegetation of the eroded borrow area with no apparent adverse environmental side effects. PMID:12398338

A 3-year field study was conducted at a 12 ha soil-borrow area adjacent to the Columbia Metropolitan Airport, South Carolina to investigate the restorative effects of co-application of coal fly ash (FA) and a poultry biosolid (PB). FA was applied at 0, 22, 280, 560 and 1120 Mg (tonne) ha{sup -1}, and PB at 5 and 10 Mg ha{sup -1}. The area was seeded with erosion-control species Atlantic Coastal panic grass (Panicum amarum var amarum L.), sericea (Lespedeza cuneata var. appalow [Dumont] G. Don.) and weeping love grass (Eragrostis curvula Wolf.). Plant biomass and elemental composition were analyzed in sequential harvests. Soil and groundwater quality characteristics including pH, EC and elemental composition were also monitored throughout the study. In addition, the effect of amendments on the water holding capacity and bulk density of the soil was investigated. Amendment addition significantly increased plant biomass production by a maximum of 26% using 1120 Mg ha{sup -1} FA and 10 Mg ha{sup -1} PB. Application of the highest rate of FA significantly increased the plant tissue concentrations of Mn, As, Se and B. Soil pH was initially increased from 4.6 to 6.1 by amendments. Soil salinity was increased in the initial year only. Amended soils had higher concentrations of Ca, Mg, P and K, higher organic matter content and water holding capacity than unamended soil. Concentrations of plant-essential trace elements (B, Cu and Zn) that were marginally deficient in the unamended eroded soil increased to within typical soil concentrations following amendment with FA and PB. Groundwater quality was unaffected throughout the study. The co-application of FA and PB successfully promoted the revegetation of the eroded borrow area with no apparent adverse environmental side effects.

Full Text Available As Malaysia focuses its attention to the call for a “greener” culture, so did the engineers and those in the scientific community especially the construction industry who is a major contributor to the depletion of green house gases. The engineering and construction community has now taken up the challenge for the use of “green and recycled by-products” in construction. One of those by-products is the Coal Bottom Ash (CBA from thermal power plants that faces an increasing production running into hundreds of thousand tonnes in Malaysia alone, and its method of disposal is relegated to landfills alone with no other commercial usage. The construction industry is now forced to rethink on the utilization of the industrial by-products as supplementary materials due to the continuous depletion of natural aggregates in construction. A significant amount of research has been conducted elsewhere on CBA to ascertain its pozzolanic activity, compressive strength in concrete and mortar, durability, water absorption characteristics and density, in order to ensure its usage as a construction material. In this paper, a critical review of the strength characteristics of concrete and mortar as influenced by CBA as partial replacement of fine aggregate is presented based on the available information in the published literatures. Diverse physical and chemical properties of CBA from different power plants in Malaysia are also presented. The influence of different types, amounts and sources of CBA on the strength and bulk density of concrete is discussed. The setting time, workability and consistency as well as the advantages and disadvantages of using CBA in construction materials are also highlighted. An effective utilization of CBA in construction materials will significantly reduce the accumulation of the by-products in landfills and thus reduce environmental pollution.

Research highlights: → Dry cured geopolymers exhibit a heterogeneous and porous gel matrix. → The Si/Na atomic ratio of the main reaction product (N-A-S-H gel) is close to 1. → Low Si/Na ratio (0.5) correspond to a more crystalline stage of the N-A-S-H gel. → N-A-S-H gel has small pores which facilitate the escape of moisture when it is heated. → N-A-S-H gel became more amorphous, attaining higher Si/Al ratio of 4.54 at 800 deg. C. - Abstract: Compressive strength, atomic ratios and microstructure of geopolymer mortars (GM) made from circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) coal bottom ash (CBA) were investigated to observe the effect of air curing at ambient temperature (AC) at 20 deg. C and 90% RH, dry curing (DC) at 80 deg. C and 40% RH for 20 h. The 28-d compressive strength of GM exposed to AC (GM-AC) and DC (GM-DC) were 26.23 and 24.14 MPa, respectively. The Si/Na atomic ratio of the main reaction product (N-A-S-H gel) was close to 1. Geopolymer gel (apparently crystalline) having low Si/Na ratio (0.5) may correspond to a more advanced or developed stage of the aluminosilicate gel. It was observed that the geopolymerization was completed before the N-A-S-H gel formed when Si/Na ratio of GM is close to 2. The color of the GM changed from pink to grey and the structure became denser with almost no pores, when the temperature increased from 400 to 800 deg. C. The N-A-S-H gel became more amorphous due to the sintering reactions attaining Si/Al and Si/Na ratios of 4.54 and 0.98, respectively.

Study of physio-chemical properties studies such as granulometric analysis, moisture, X ray fluorescence etc. were performed with Type C coal—combustion fly ash to investigate their potential as a distinct option for molding sand in foundry, thereby reducing the dependency on latter. Technological properties study such as compressive strength, tensile strength, permeability and compaction of various compositions of fly ash molding sand (10, 20 and 30 % fly ash substitute to chemically bonded sand) were performed and compared with silica molding sand. Steel casting production using this fly ash molding sand was done and the casting surface finish and typical casting parameters were assessed. It was noted that a good quality steel casting could be produced using type C fly ash molding sand, which effectively replaced 20 % of traditional molding sand and binders thereby providing greater financial profits to the foundry and an effective way of fly ash utilization (waste management).

The paper presents the results of a controlled greenhouse experiment in which a native desert plant, the brittlebush was grown on admixtures of desert soils and fly ash. The fly ash is strongly enriched in Sr and the brittlebush is a Sr accumulator. The data demonstrate that the brittlebush isotopically equilibrates with desert soils whose fly ash components are as low as 0.25% by weight, the fly ash Sr is apparently more available to the plant than Sr derived from the soils, and the difference between the 87Sr/86Sr ratio of the fly ash (0.70807) and soils (0.71097 to 0.71117) warrants further investigations in the natural environment to determine the practicality of this method as a natural tracer of fly ash in the environment

Solid residues resulting from the active treatment of acid mine drainage with coal fly ash were successfully converted to zeolite-P under mild hydrothermal treatment conditions. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the zeolite-P product was highly crystalline. The product had a high cation exchange capacity (178.7 meq / 100 g) and surface area (69.1 m2/g) and has potential application in waste-water treatment. A mineralogical analysis of the final product identified...

Coal fly ash was used to synthesize MCM-41 by alkali fusion followed by hydro- thermal treatment and was characterized using various techniques viz. XRD, SEM, FTIR, BET method for surface area measurement etc. The synthesis conditions were optimized to obtain highly crystalline MCM-41 with utmost BETsurface area 1102m2/g with high purity. The crystalline nature of the prepared MCM-41 was found to change with fusion temperature and a maximum value was obtained at 5500 C. The cost of synthesize...

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the kinetic parameters of the oxy-fuel combustion of char from a Brazilian bituminous coal with a high ash content. The char, with a particle diameter of 715 μm, was prepared in a N2 atmosphere at 1173 K. The oxy-fuel combustion assays were performed using a thermobalance at different temperatures and O2/CO2 gas mixtures of different concentrations. According to the unreacted core model, the process is determined by chemical reaction at low temp...

Application of procedures developed for preparation of synthetic soils for reclamation of two coalash disposal sites in Pennsylvania is presented. These procedures include determination of water holding properties, lime requirement, and the Baker Soil Test (BST) for chemical element analysis. Results from soil and plant analyses following establishment of vegetation on the sites have shown that the BST predicts plant incorporation of chemical elements from the synthetic soils. The results confirm the utility of the BST in planning and executing successful reclamation on disturbed lands in a manner which protects the soil-plant-animal food chain

Co-firing of coal with inexpensive secondary fuels such as petroleum coke is expected to increase in the near future in the EU given that it may provide certain economic and environmental benefits with respect to coal combustion. However, changes in the feed fuel composition of power plants may modify the bulk content and the speciation of a number of elements in fly ash and slag. Consequently, leachability of these byproducts also can be modified. This study is focused on identifying the changes in the environmental quality of co-fired fly ash and slag induced by a modification of the petcoke/coal ratio. Petcoke was found to increase the leachable content of V and Mo and to enhance the mobility of S and As. However, with the exception of these elements, the addition of this secondary fuel did not drastically modify the bulk composition or the overall leachability of the resulting fly ash and slag. PMID:17822098

EPA's new test methods - the leaching environmental assessment framework (LEAF) are discussed including how they have been used to evaluate fly ash and scrubber residues. Work to evaluate high-volume encapsulated use of fly ash in cementitious material is also described.

Bottom ashes generated during combustion of a mineral coal from Colombia were characterized by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and X-ray diffraction. The interest in this particular coal is due to the fact that it will be used by a thermal power plant in Ceara, Northeastern Brazil, where it could produce over 900 tons of different residues/combustion products every day. Results from Xray fluorescence allowed identification and quantification of elements present in the sample: silicon (59,17%), aluminum (13,17%), iron (10,74%), potassium (6,11%), titanium (2,91%), calcium (4,97%), sulphur (0,84%) and others (2,09%). The X-ray diffraction revealed patterns from silica, mullite, calcium sulphate and hydrated sodium. Results obtained so far indicate that the material is a potential raw-material for use in the formulation of ceramic components (author)

The mercury adsorption capacity of a residual oil fly ash (ROFA) sample collected form Florida Power and Light Company's Port Everglades Power Plant was evaluated using a bituminous coal combustion flue gas simulator and fixed-bed testing protocol. A size-segregated (>38 {micro}g) fraction of ROFA was ground to a fine powder and brominated to potentially enhance mercury capture. The ROFA and brominated-ROFA were ineffective in capturing or oxidizing the Hg{sup 0} present in a simulated bituminous coal combustion flue gas. In contrast, a commercially available DARCO{reg_sign} FGD initially adsorbed Hg{sup 0} for about an hour and then catalyzed Hg{sup 0} oxidation to produce Hg{sup 2+}. Apparently, the unburned carbon in ROFA needs to be more rigorously activated in order for it to effectively capture and/or oxidize Hg{sup 0}.

Two commonly used revegetation species, Kentucky 31 tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and Lincoln smooth brome (Bromus inermis Leyss.) were grown for 60 days in pots containing coarse coal mine refuse (referred to as gob, pH = 3.5) that was amended with lime or alkaline fly ash. Both species were also grown in pots containing a silt-loam surface soil as a control. Morphological growth parameters were measured over time; dry weights and shoot:root ratios were determined at harvest. Concentrations of Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, V, and Zn in the plant shoots were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Plant growth of both species was not as good on either lime- or fly ash-amended gob as it was on surface soil. Although plant height and length of the longest lead were not significantly different (p > 0.10) at the end of the experiment for plants grown on the two amended-gob substrates, parameters giving an indication of plant vigor (i.e., number of leaves and stems, width of the longest lead, and biomass) were significantly greater (p < 0.01) for plants grown on lime-amended gob than for those grown on fly ash-amended gob. Significant (p < 0.05) differences in the tissue concentrations of Cd, Co, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb, V, and Zn were found among the plants grown on the three substrates. Except for Hg and Pb, these elements were higher in plants grown on at least one of the amended-gob substrates than in plants grown on surface soil. Significant substrate differences were not observed for Al, As, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Se. The tissue concentrations of some elements - notably Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, V, and Zn - were high enough in plants from one or more of the substrates to either approach or exceed concentrations that have been reported to be associated with toxic effects in some plant species.

Radioactivity of U, Th and {sup 40}K has been investigated in the vicinity of the ash repository of coal-fired Nikola Tesla A power plant in Obrenovac (Yugoslavia). Using alpha and gamma spectrometry, luminescence spectrophotometry, it was found that the ash repository is a source of radionuclides of the uranium and thorium series; and these radionuclides were found in the ground water up to a distance of several hundred metres. The influence of the repository on the soil radioactivity was minimal.

Coalash is a substance that has been mixed into minerals in the earth`s crust during their coalification process. Estimation was made on what kinds of mineral composition have been mixed into coals. Noted first was the kinds of compounds contained in the ash, wherein the ratios of mass in the compounds and minerals were correlated, and selection was made on minerals which are thought correlated. The selection criterion was based on minerals containing silica, alumina, iron oxide, lime and magnesium as compounds. Then, a phase equilibrium line diagram was used to estimate compositions and melting points of minerals which are thought to have been produced from these compounds. By comparing the estimation with the measured melting points of the ashes, mineral compositions thought reasonable were all selected. Assumption was possible on minerals that are thought to have been transferred into coalash. Compound indications of ashes from 29 kinds of the world`s typical coals were replaced with the subject minerals and expressed as mineral compositions. As a method of calculation, stoichiometric coefficients for each mineral were determined by taking material balance in atomic/molecular levels in masses of compound aggregates and mineral composition aggregates. 7 tabs.

煤粉炉粉煤灰、沸腾炉渣和循环流化床固硫灰渣是3种具有代表性的燃煤灰渣.采用氢氧化钙变化量和化学结合水量表征方法,对燃煤灰渣的水化反应动力学进行研究.研究发现,由于燃煤灰渣中游离CaO的存在,用Ca(OH)2反应变化量研究其水化反应动力学时存在较大的干扰和误差；而用化学结合水量法则不受燃煤灰渣中游离CaO和SO3含量的影响,且与28 d抗压强度比方法所得结果相一致.结果表明,随着龄期增长,固硫灰渣或沸腾炉渣-水泥胶凝系统中,水化产物生成量明显高于粉煤灰-水泥胶凝系统；燃煤灰渣的火山灰活性与其CaO或SO3含量不存在必然联系.%Ashes from pulverized coal combustion(PCC) boiler, bubbling fluidized bed combustion(BFBC) boiler and circulating fluidized bed combustion(CFBC) boiler, namely, PC ashes, BFBC ashes and CFBC ashes respectively, are representative coalashes. The hydration reaction kinetics of coalashes was investigated by the change of Ca(OH)2 and chemically combined water content. It is found that there are some disturbances and errors for the study of the hydration reaction kinetics of coalashes by means of the change of Ca(OH)2 content, while the method of chemically combined water content is independent of the content of free lime or SO3, in accordance with the results of 28 d compressive strength ratio. The results confirm that the content of the hydration products of BFBC ashes or CFBC ashes-cement pastes is greater than that of PC ashes-cement pastes, and the pozzolanic activity of coalashes is not closely related to the content of CaO or SO3.

Coal refuse piles play a significant role in producing acid mining drainage (AMD) that deteriorates water quality at a watershed scale. The waste produced from coal refuse piles results in a decrease of the pH value in soil water and river flow. Metal compounds, such as ferric and ferrous solutions, are also continuously released from the coal pile due to the extensive and complicated chemical reactions in the acidic environment. Alkaline clay, a byproduct of alumina refining process, has a high residual pH in the material. If the alkaline clay is used innovatively with the coal mine refuse, the problems associated with each (e.g., high and low pH values) are likely to be effectively resolved. In addition, the solubility of the sulfur and iron will be reduced significantly. This will effectively eliminate the AMD problem at the coal refuse pile and improve the water quality at the watershed scale. This study investigates the long-term impacts of the combined mixture (i.e., alkaline clay + coal refuse) on the environment (e.g., in the soil column and in the river system) through systematic modeling simulations in a combination with field measurements. In particular, a dynamic solute transport model that accounts for processes of the pyrite oxidation, oxygen diffusion, absorption, desorption, and advection is developed and is coupled with the Distributed Hydrology Soil and Vegetation Model (DHSVM) to assess the environmental impacts at the watershed scale. The model-simulated sulfur and iron concentrations are compared with field observations and the long-term impacts of the combined mixture (i.e., alkaline clay + coal refuse) on the environment are investigated. This study paves the way for monitoring and assessing the impacts of the reuse of the alkaline clay and refuse mixture on the environment at a watershed scale.

Coal is the main source of energy in China,the fixed-sulfur technology of coal combus-tion is an effective mean of controlling the SO2 emissions. With the production of coalash increases year by year but the utilization ratio is low.Therefore,the research and utilization of coalash is imperative. This paper summarized the effects of different coal types and ash composition on fixed-sulfur technology of coal combustion,and pointing out the trend of ash resource utilization.%煤炭是我国的主要能源，燃煤固硫技术是控制SO2排放的有效手段之一。随着燃煤灰渣的产量逐年增加，其利用率却较低，因此，对煤灰的研究利用刻不容缓。本文总结了不同煤种及煤灰成分对燃煤固硫效果的影响，指出灰渣资源化综合利用的发展趋势。

The chemical and mineralogical composition of fly ash samples collected from different parts of a laboratory and a pilot scale CFB facility has been investigated. The fabric filter and the second cyclone of the two facilities were chosen as sampling points. The fuels used were Greek lignite (from the Florina basin), Polish coal and wood chips. Characterization of the fly ash samples was conducted by means of X-ray fluorescence (XRF), inductive coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), particle size distribution (PSD) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). According to the chemical analyses the produced fly ashes are rich in CaO. Moreover, SiO{sub 2} is the dominant oxide in fly ash with Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} found in considerable quantities. Results obtained by XRD showed that the major mineral phase of fly ash is quartz, while other mineral phases that are occurred are maghemite, hematite, periclase, rutile, gehlenite and anhydrite. The ICP-OES analysis showed rather low levels of trace elements, especially for As and Cr, in many of the ashes included in this study compared to coalash from fluidised bed combustion in general. 23 refs., 3 figs., 5 tabs.

Fly ash particles entrained in the ﬂue gas from boiler furnaces in coal-ﬁred power stations can cause serious erosive wear on steel surfaces along the ﬂow path. Such erosion can signiﬁcantly reduce the operational life of the boiler components. A mathematical model embodying the mechanisms of erosion on behaviour, has been developed to predict erosion rates of coal-ﬁred boiler components at different temperatures. Various grades of steels used in fabrication of boiler components and published data pertaining to boiler ﬂy ash have been used for the modelling. The model incorporates high temperature tensile properties of the target metal surface at room and elevated temperatures and has been implemented in an user-interactive in-house computer code (EROSIM–1), to predict the erosion rates of various grades of steel. Predictions have been found to be in good agreement with the published data. The model is calibrated with plant and experimental data generated from a high temperature air-jet erosion-testing facility. It is hoped that the calibrated model will be useful for erosion analysis of boiler components.

The present work introduces and evaluates a new approach for the classification system of coal fly ashes (FAs) based on their origin, phase-mineral and chemical composition, properties, and behaviour. The detailed data for 41 FAs used for that purpose. The chemical FA classification system was organized according to the contents, common geochemical associations, and significant positive or negative correlations of ash-forming elements in FAs using three end members, namely (1) sum of Si, Al, K, Ti and P oxides; (2) sum of Ca, Mg, S, Na and Mn oxides; and (3) Fe oxide. This approach divided four chemical FA types (Sialic, Calsialic, Ferrisialic, and Ferricalsialic) with three dominant tendencies (high acid, medium acid, and low acid). The most important phase-mineral FA classification system was organized according to the contents, associations, correlations, properties, and behaviours of species in FAs using also three end members, namely: (1) glass; (2) quartz + mullite; and (3) other minerals. This approach divided four phase-mineral FA types (Pozzolanic, Inert, Active, and Mixed) with three dominant tendencies (high pozzolanic, medium pozzolanic, and low pozzolanic). The specified chemical and phase-mineral FA types and subtypes were characterized and the relationships and distinctions between them were also described. It was found that characteristics such as (1) feed coal and combustion technology used in TPS; (2) water-soluble, magnetic and heavy fractions, pH, fluid ash-fusion temperature, detrital/authigenic index, and BET specific surface area of FAs; and especially (3) content, modes of occurrence, and distribution of glass, quartz, mullite, lime-portlandite, periclase-brucite, Ca sulphates, Ca and Ca-Mg silicates, magnetite-hematite, and char types in FAs; give the most valuable information for the determination of the potential utilization directions and environmental concerns of FAs. 27 refs., 5 figs., 7 tabs.

The SEM-study of samples from straw combustion and co-combustion of straw and coal have yielded a reference selection of representative images that will be useful for future comparison. The sample material encompassed potential fuels (wheat straw and grain), bottom ash, fly ash and deposits from straw combustion as well as fuels (coal and wheat straw), chars, bottom ash, fly ash and deposits from straw + coal co-combustion. Additionally, a variety of laboratory ashes were studied. SEM and CCSEM analysis of the samples have given a broad view of the inorganic components of straw and of the distribution of elements between individual ash particles and deposits. The CCSEM technique does, however, not detect dispersed inorganic elements in biomass, so to get a more complete visualization of the distribution of inorganic elements additional analyses must be performed, for example progressive leaching. In contrast, the CCSEM technique is efficient in characterizing the distribution of elements in ash particles and between ash fractions and deposits. The data for bottom ashes and fly ashes have indicated that binding of potassium to silicates occurs to a significant extent. The silicates can either be in the form of alumino-silicates or quartz (in co-combustion) or be present as straw-derived amorphous silica (in straw combustion). This process is important for two reasons. One is that potasium lowers the melting point of silica in the fly ash, potentially leading to troublesome deposits by particle impaction and sticking to heat transfer surfaces. The other is that the reaction between potassium and silica in the bottom ash binds part of the potassium meaning that it is not available for reaction with chlorine or sulphur to form KCl or K{sub 2}SO{sub 4}. Both phases are potentially troublesome because they can condense of surfaces to form a sticky layer onto which fly ash particles can adhere and by inducing corrosion beneath the deposit. It appears that in the studied

A storage pond dike failure occurred at the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil Plant that resulted in the release of over 3.8 million cubic meters (5 million cubic yards) of fly ash. Approximately half of this material deposited in the main channel of the Emory River, 3.5 km upstream of the confluence of the Emory and Clinch Rivers, Tennessee, USA. Remediation efforts to date have focused on targeted removal of material from the channel through hydraulic dredging, as well as mechanical excavation in some areas. The agitation of the submerged fly ash during hydraulic dredging introduces river water into the fly ash material, which could alter the redox state of metals present in the fly ash and thereby change their sorption and mobility properties. A series of extended elutriate tests were used to determine the concentration and speciation of metals released from fly ash. Results indicated that arsenic and selenium species released from the fly ash materials during elutriate preparation were redox stable over the course of 10d, with dissolved arsenic being present as arsenate, and dissolved selenium being present as selenite. Concentrations of certain metals, such as arsenic, selenium, vanadium, and barium, increased in the elutriate waters over the 10d study, whereas manganese concentrations decreased, likely due to oxidation and precipitation reactions. PMID:20943255

A very interesting possibility of coal combustion ashes reutilization is their use as adsorbent materials, that can also take advantage from proper beneficiation techniques. In this work, adsorption of cadmium from aqueous solutions was taken into consideration, with the emphasis on the intertwining among waste properties, beneficiation treatments, properties of the beneficiated materials and adsorption capacity. The characterization of three solid materials used as cadmium sorbents (as-received ash, ash sieved through a 25 μm-size sieve and demineralized ash) was carried out by chemical analysis, infrared spectroscopy, laser granulometry and mercury porosimetry. Cadmium adsorption thermodynamic and kinetic tests were conducted at room temperature, and test solutions were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Maximum specific adsorption capacities resulted in the range 0.5-4.3 mg g-1. Different existing models were critically considered to find out an interpretation of the controlling mechanism for adsorption kinetics. In particular, it was observed that for lower surface coverage the adsorption rate is governed by a linear driving force while, once surface coverage becomes significant, mechanisms such as the intraparticle micropore diffusion may come into play. Moreover, it was shown that both external fluid-to-particle mass transfer and macropore diffusion hardly affect the adsorption process, which was instead regulated by intraparticle micropore diffusion: characteristic times for this process ranged from 4.1 to 6.1 d, and were fully consistent with the experimentally observed equilibrium times. Results were discussed in terms of the relationship among properties of beneficiated materials and cadmium adsorption capacity. Results shed light on interesting correlations among solid properties, cadmium capture rate and maximum cadmium uptake.

Coal and fly ash are currently monitored to control fluoride (and chloride) ground water and air pollution. In fact, fluorine emissions to the atmosphere provide the greatest potential individual source of environmental contamination by trace elements released from the utilization of coals. Chlorine, on the other hand, can contribute to the formation of a corrosive atmosphere during combustion and to the formation of acid precipitation, being thus an undesirable species in coal. Fly ash is a material which is produced in large quantities as a by-product of coal combustion in power plants (5-10 tons/h). This material can not be dumped without cheking that the ground water will not be polluted. During the last few years a group of laboratories has worked in several intercomparisons in the frame of the BCR-programm to improve their methods for fluorine and chlorine determination, especially for coal analyses. In this comunication we report on our experience in the certification of fluoride and chloride contents in coal, fly-ash and clay.

Single phase chamfered-edge zeolite 4A samples in pure form with a high crystallinity were synthesized by applying step-change of synthesis temperature during hydrothermal treatment of coal fly ash. The calcium binding capacity of these zeolite 4A samples (prepared from coal fly ash) and the commercial detergent grade zeolite 4A were tested for usage as a detergent builder. The results show that these zeolite 4A samples behaved similarly as the commercial one in removing calcium ions during the washing cycle. Moreover, from the leaching tests (evaluation of toxicological safety), the results show that these zeolite 4A samples leached the same elements (Sb, As, Se and Tl) as the commercial one with the concentrations in the same order of magnitude. This shows that the toxicological effect of the coal fly ash converted zeolite 4A was not worse than that of the commercial sample. Finally, economic and environmental aspects of converting coal fly ash to useful products were discussed

The formation of combustion aerosols was studied in an 800 MWth suspension-fired power plant boiler, during combustion of pulverized wood pellets with and without addition of coal fly ash as alkali capture additive. The aerosol particles were sampled and characterized by a low-pressure cascade...

Fly ash is a potential alternative to activated carbon for mercury adsorption.The effects of physicochemical properties on the mercury adsorption performance of three fly ash samples were investigated.X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,and other methods were used to characterize the samples.Results indicate that mercury adsorption on fly ash is primarily physisorption and chemisorption.High specific surface areas and small pore diameters are beneficial to efficient mercury removal.Incompletely burned carbon is also an important factor for the improvement of mercury removal efficiency,in particular.The C-M bond,which is formed by the reaction of C and Ti,Si and other elements,may improve mercury oxidation.The samples modified with CuBr2,CuCl2 and FeCl3 showed excellent performance for Hg removal,because the chlorine in metal chlorides acts as an oxidant that promotes the conversion of elemental mercury (Hg0) into its oxidized form (Hg2+).Cu2+ and Fe3+ can also promote Hg0 oxidation as catalysts.HCland O2 promote the adsorption of Hg by modified fly ash,whereas SO2 inhibits the Hg adsorption because of competitive adsorption for active sites.Fly ash samples modified with CuBr2,CuCl2 and FeCl3 are therefore promising materials for controlling mercury emissions.

The process of fly ash formation and its features in Shell pulverized-coal gasification are introduced,the ash fusion analyzed and the operation proposal for a stable running of gasifier put forward.The ash fusion is not only related to the ash composition,but also to the interaction among the components in the ash during the combustion process.The temperature of ash fusion is mainly depending on the mineral composition in the coal,the composition and ratio of its oxides and combustion atmosphere.%介绍Shell粉煤气化工艺中飞灰的形成过程及其特性,对煤灰的熔融性进行探析并提出稳定气化炉运行的操作建议。煤灰的熔融特性不仅与灰的成分有关,还与燃烧过程中灰中各成分之间的相互作用有关。灰熔融性温度主要取决于煤中的矿物组成、其氧化物的成分和配比及燃烧气氛等。

This paper discussed a method developed to reduce dust emissions generated in a fly ash handling procedure used at a thermal power plant located in the south of Brazil. The fly ash is collected in dry form at several locations in the plant and pneumatically conveyed to storage silos, where it is moistened with water in a mixer, loaded into dump trucks and deposited in a disposal area near a surface coal mine. The new solution created low density fly ash slurry in localized mixing tanks within the power plant. The low density slurry is pumped to an ash conditioning plant where the slurry is then mixed with the bottom ash, dewatered, and densified. The densified slurry is then pumped to an adjacent coal mine disposal site in order to be used as backfill in mined areas. The proposed method will significantly reduce dust emissions both inside and outside the plant, and will substantially reduce truck traffic at the mine. The method will reduce the environmental impacts associated with fly ash dust emissions in the region. 8 figs.

Full Text Available This research for the application of coal waste as fly ash for mixture cement the stonewall anti moss which hypothesis upon which Allelochemi. Using the coal waste represent one of program of environment conservation which is in the form of 3R ( Reuse, Recycle And Reduce, so this research can be made pilot project in development and substance invention of anti moss and make friends with the environment. The research target is identifying moss type in region Surakarta, knowing mixture concentration having technical eligibility of construction and TCLP test ( Toxicity Characteristic Leachate Procedure and justification of LC50 and LD50. Research was carried out in laboratory by in phases following: casting of Mixture cement and fly ash: test of mechanic strength, test of resilience to moss growth, test of ability adhesive to wall paint, making solid Matrix. Continued by a test Depress to use the Technotest Modena Italy then Test the assimilated: Chemical Ekstraksi in step by step. Fraction 1 until Faction 5, TCLP (Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure Standard, TCLP ( Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure Progressive and TCLP (Toxycity Characteristic Leaching Procedure Modification. The Allelochemi form be observed by means of Microscopic observation. The results revealed that moss type found in region of Surakarta: Dicranella heteromalla, Funaria hygrometrica ( Hedwig., Rhodobryum giganteum ( Schwaegr. Par., Pogonatum contortum ( Brid.. Mixture prosentase of fly ash which still fulfill the technical standard of concrete building construction is 20 - 40 %. Value LC 50 to animal test the goldfish 8950 ppm and the LD 50 value to animal test the mencit 30,35 mg / kg BB so that near no toxic. The resistance process of moss growing at coat cement also got concentration 20 - 40 % through allelochemi mechanism. Ever greater of fly ash prosentase at growth media the moss hence assess the heavy metal accumulation of Pb, Cr

The variability of the ash content in individual volumes of coal sequentially disposed in a formation in different directions of its strike are satisfactorily characterized by the segregation factor. The studies of segregation were performed in a developed mathematical model of a seam using a special program. It is established that segregation of the ash content of a seam is regular: the segregation factor along the thickness is a factor of one to two greater than along the dip and strike of the seam. To stabilize the ash content of coal used at state regional electric power plants (GRES), it is expedient to use extracting averaging excavators, either chain or cutter, in extracting operations in a pit.

Land disposal of ash residues, obtained from the cocombustion of Greek lignite with biomass wastes, is known to create problems due to the harmful constituents present. In this regard, the leachability of trace elements from lignite, biomass, and blends cocombustion ashes was investigated by using the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) of the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). In this work, the toxicity of the aqueous leachates and the concentrations of the metals obtained from the leaching procedure were measured using the Microtox test (Vibrio fischeri) and inductive coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES), respectively. The toxic effects of most leachates on Vibrio fischeri were found to be significantly low in both 45% and 82% screening test protocols. However, the liquid sample originating from olive kernels fly ash (FA4) caused the highest toxic effect in both protocols, which can be attributed to its relatively high concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Zn. PMID:16841309

Land disposal of ash residues, obtained from the cocombustion of Greek lignite with biomass wastes, is known to create problems due to the harmful constituents present. In this regard, the leachability of trace elements from lignite, biomass, and blends cocombustion ashes was investigated by using the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) of the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). In this work, the toxicity of the aqueous leachates and the concentrations of the metals obtained from the leaching procedure were measured using the Microtox test (Vibrio fischen) and inductive coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES), respectively. The toxic effects of most leachates on Vibrio fischeri were found to be significantly low in both 45% and 82% screening test protocols. However, the liquid sample originating from olive kernels fly ash (FA4) caused the highest toxic effect in both protocols, which can be attributed to its relatively high concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Zn.

The risk potential of fly ash deposits from fossil-fuel power plants was investigated through laboratory elution experiments (single elution, multiple elution, column leaching). The groundwater risk potential in the case of indiscriminate, unsealed dumping is high because of an increased water hardness and due to sulfate, molybdenum, selenium, boron, chromium, barium, strontium and arsenic contamination. Higher barium and strontium concentrations are typical of fly ash deposits. Barium and strontium thus serve as target elements for identification of sites of long-standing pollution. The risks of arsenic leaching are discussed in detail. (orig./LU)

Two fly ash samples produced by coal burning in thermal power plants were analyzed in order to determine various microelements. The method of thermal neutron activation was used for this purpose. Well determined amounts of samples and adequate standards were prepared for irradiation. The thermal neutron activation was performed at TRIGA ICN- Pitesti reactor in the reflector zone. After activation, the samples were qualitatively and quantitatively measured by gamma spectrometry at IFIN-HH. A measuring chain containing a HPGe detector and the ACCUSPEC-A program provided by Canberra company were used. The following elements were determined: Ca, Na, Sc, K, Co, Fe, Ag, Pt, W. Their concentrations were in the range (10-6 - 50)%. (authors)

Multielement determinations of coal fly ashes (NIST SRM-1633a and BCR CRM-38) have been carried out by instrumental photon activation analysis using 30 MeV bremsstrahlung and the internal standard method coupled with the standard addition method. In these determinations, some major and minor constituent elements in the samples were properly used as effective internal standards. As a result, it was demonstrated that concentrations of 18 elements were determined accurately and precisely. Furthermore, a similar multielement determination has also been examined using 20 MeV bremsstrahlung. In this case, it was proved that better results can be achieved, because all interfering reactions were eliminated completely. (author) 14 refs.; 5 tabs

The aim of the experimental works presented in this paper was to develop a method using wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (WDXRF) in order to determine the content of 16 rare earth elements (REEs) and the concentration of the said elements in 169 samples of combustion ash of coals coming from ten Polish coal mines, as well as to validate the method. It was found out that there is a clear diversity in the levels and ranges of the variability of REEs occurrence in coalashes. The average content of cerium, lanthanum, and scandium amounts to 198.8 μg • g- 1, 76.5 μg • g- 1, and 52.4 μg • g- 1 respectively, whereas for such metals as europium, holmium, lutetium, terbium, and thulium, the average content does not exceed the level of 5 μg • g- 1 (the average content for these metals amounts to 1.2 μg • g- 1, 1.4 μg • g- 1, 0.3 μg • g- 1, 1.3 μg • g- 1, and 0.6 μg • g- 1, respectively). In addition, this paper presents an analysis of data obtained by means of hierarchical clustering analysis. Simultaneous interpretation of the dendrogram of objects (coalash samples) and the color map of the experimental data allowed a more in-depth analysis of the relationships between the clustered coalash samples from different coal mines and the content of the rare earth elements.

Radon (222Rn), a progeny of 238U, is a colourless, odourless but noble gas which is radioactive and poses grave health hazards, not only to uranium miners but also to the people living in normal houses and buildings and at work place in industry. Tracking its concentration, therefore, is fundamental for radiation protection strategies and mitigation. Besides, the increased interest in measuring radon concentration in environment in the vicinity of thermal power plants is due to its health hazards and environmental pollution. For experimental determination of radon, in each thermal power plant the LR-115 type- II detectors were exposed for 100 days in bare mode at different locations and also used the same for coal, fly-ash, soil and water samples collected from the thermal power plants. For comparative study, some cement samples were also collected from National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB), Ballabgarh (Haryana), India. The radon levels measured at some locations and in some samples are found to be high and thus pose health hazard. The radon concentration varied from 157.18 Bqm-3 to 1062.57 Bqm-3 in environment, 393.33 Bqm-3 to 2125.24 Bqm-3 in coal, 708.57 Bqm-3 to 1574.28 Bqm-3 in fly-ash, 314.83 Bqm-3 to 905.15 Bqm-3 in soil, 393.54 Bqm-3 to 1101.93 Bqm-3 in water and 157.62 Bqm-3 to 1810.48 Bqm-3 in cement, samples. (author)

Full Text Available South African fly ash has been shown to be a useful feedstock for the synthesis of some zeolites. The present study focuses on the effect of impeller design and agitation rates on the synthesis of zeolite Na-P1 which are critical to the commercialization of this product. The effects of three impeller designs (4-flat blade, Anchor and Archimedes screw impellers and three agitation speeds (150, 200 and 300 rpm were investigated using a modified previously reported synthesis conditions; 48 hours of ageing at 47 °C and static hydrothermal treatment at 140 °C for 48 hours. The experimental results demonstrated that the phase purity of zeolite Na-P1 was strongly affected by the agitation rate and the type of impeller used during the ageing step of the synthesis process. Although zeolite Na-P1 was synthesized with a space time yield (STY of 15 ± 0.4 kg d−1m−3and a product yield of 0.98±0.05 g zeolites/g fly ash for each impeller at different agitation speeds, zeolite formation was assessed to be fairly unsuccessful in some cases due the occurrence of undissolved mullite and/or the formation of impurities such as hydroxysodalite with the zeolitic product. This study also showed that a high crystalline zeolite Na-P1 can be synthesized from South African coal fly ash using a 4-flat blade impeller at an agitation rate of 200 rpm during the ageing step at 47 °C for 48 hours followed by static hydrothermal treatment at 140 °C for 48 hours.

Full Text Available Coal fly ash has been evaluated as low-cost material for pollutants adsorption. But powdered fly ash is difficult to be separated from the adsorbate and solution after saturation. When it is made into granules, this problem can be solved. Granules with uniform diameter of 6 mm were prepared and used as adsorbents for phenol removal from aqueous solution. The physical and chemical characteristics of the granules were investigated. The data indicated that the granules were abundant with nanosize pores of 9.8 nm on average. The specific surface area and porosity reached 130.5 m2/g and 60.1%, respectively. The main components in the granules were SiO2, Al2O3, MgO, Fe2O3, CaO, K2O, and unburned carbon. The adsorption batch experiments showed that this granular material was an efficient adsorbent for phenol removal. Phenol adsorption on the granules was mainly influenced by dosage and contact time. Increase in the dosage could enhance phenol adsorption effectively. More than 90% phenol could be removed under normal temperature and neutral pH with initial concentration of 100 mg/L, contact time of 90 min, and dosage of 140 g/L. The adsorption of phenol on the granules was spontaneous and complied well with the pseudo-second-order model and Langmuir isotherm model.

Full Text Available Solid residues resulting from the active treatment of acid mine drainage with coal fly ash were successfully converted to zeolite-P under mild hydrothermal treatment conditions. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the zeolite-P product was highly crystalline. The product had a high cation exchange capacity (178.7 meq / 100 g and surface area (69.1 m2/g and has potential application in waste-water treatment. A mineralogical analysis of the final product identified zeolite-P, as well as mullite and quartz phases, which indicated incomplete dissolution of the fly ash feedstock during the ageing step. Further optimisation of the synthesis conditions would be required to attain complete utilisation of the feedstock. The zeolite-P was tested for decontamination potential of circumneutral mine water. High removal efficiency was observed in the first treatment, but varied for different contaminants. The synthesised zeolite-P exhibited a high efficiency for the removal of heavy metal cations, such as aluminium, iron, manganese, zinc, copper and nickel, from contaminated mine water, even with repeated use. For potassium, calcium, strontium and barium, the removal was only efficient in the first treatment and decreased rapidly with subsequent treatments, indicating preferential adsorption of the other metals. A continuous release of sodium was observed during decontamination experiments, which decreased with subsequent treatments, confirming that sodium was the main exchangeable charge-balancing cation present in the zeolite-P product.

In this paper, a significant effect producing systematic errors in the on-line measurement using gamma-ray transmission is revealed. Ash content fluctuations or thickness changes lead to a permanent negative systematic error in the results of the measurements. To study uncertainties in the measurements applicable to time-independent ash content indicators and to investigate the characteristics of the radiation attenuation process, the behavior of the quantity in question is modeled with a stationary Gaussian distribution. A systematic error-producing effect has been found, and a quantitative correction is given to compensate for it. For some other quantities in question that vary in time, a linear model is used to discuss the systematic errors in the case of automated coal gangue separator. Results of experiments that demonstrate different systematic errors for different sampling intervals are presented. The reason for these errors is the nonlinearity of the relationship between the radiation intensity, on the one hand, and the sample thickness and mass attention, on the other

In this paper, a significant effect producing systematic errors in the on-line measurement using gamma-ray transmission is revealed. Ash content fluctuations or thickness changes lead to a permanent negative systematic error in the results of the measurements. To study uncertainties in the measurements applicable to time-independent ash content indicators and to investigate the characteristics of the radiation attenuation process, the behavior of the quantity in question in modeled with a stationary Gaussian distribution. A systematic error-producing effect has been found, and a quantitative correction is given to compensate for it. For some other quantities in question that vary in time, a linear model is used to discuss the systematic errors in the case of automated coal gangue separator. Results of experiments that demonstrate different systematic errors for different sampling intervals are presented. The reason for these errors is the nonlinearity of the relationship between the radiation intensity, on the one hand, and the sample thickness and mass attention, on the other. PMID:12201142

Full Text Available This paper is mainly focused over the possible utilization of fly ash along with OB dump to enhance the stability of OB dump and thus provide a sustainable approach for better waste management of both these materials simultaneously. Instability of coal mine overburden (OB dumps is an important problem in most of the coal mines like Jharia coalfields in India. This is mainly occurring due to sliding nature of the rock material, lack of vegetation etc. Numbers of Environmental and health issues are associated with these unstable OB dumps. As it may easily flow with running water can contaminate the nearby water resource as well as carbonaceous content of the dump causes air pollution due to simultaneous combustion. On the other hand management of coalash that is produced from thermal plants is also an important task. Dumping of fly ash in open may cause number of environmental problems. Various geotechnical and physical parameters such as particle size analysis, specific gravity, density, and friction angle/cohesion test have been performed to check the stability of OB dump and to analyze impacts of fly ash utilization to stabilize the OB dump.

With the aim of reducing carbon content in fly ash, fly ash recirculation with bottom feeding (FARBF) technology was applied to a 75 t/h Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) boiler burning mixture of coal and coal sludge. And industrial experiments were carried out to investigate the influence of FARBF technology on the combustion performance and pollutant emission characteristics of the CFB boiler. Results show that as the recirculation rate of fly ash increases, the CFB dense bed temperature decreases while the furnace outlet temperature increases, and the temperature distribution in the furnace becomes uniform. Compared with the conditions without fly ash recirculation, the combustion efficiency increases from 92 to 95% when the recirculation rate increases to 8 t/h, and the desulfurization efficiency also increases significantly. As the recirculation rate increases, the emissions of NO and CO decrease, but the particulate emission increases. The present study indicates that FARBF technology can improve the combustion performance and desulfurization efficiency for the CFB boilers burning coal sludge, and this can bring large economical and environmental benefits in China.

Full Text Available Wet flue gas desulphurization (FGD is a crucial technology which can be used to abate the emission of sulphur dioxide in coal power plants. The dissolution of coal fly ash in adipic acid is investigated by varying acid concentration (0.05-0.15M, particle size (45- 150μm, pH (5.5-7.0, temperature (318-363K and solid to liquid ratio (5-15 wt %. over a period of 60 minutes which is a crucial step in wet (FGD. Characterization of the sorbent was done using X-ray fluorescence (XRF, X-ray diffraction (XRD, Furrier transform infrared (FTIR, scanning electron microscope (SEM and Branauer-Emmett-Teller (BET surface area. BET surface area results showed an increase in the specific surface area and SEM observation indicated a porous structure was formed after dissolution. The experimental data was analyzed using the shrinking core model and the diffusion through the product layer was found to be the rate limiting step. The activation energy for the process was calculated to be 10.64kJ/mol.

The development of a unique bioassay for cytotoxicity analysis of coal fly ash (CFA) particulate matter (PM) and its potential application for air quality monitoring is described. Using human cell lines, A549 and SK-MES-1, as live probes on microelectrode-embedded 96-well sensors, impedance changes over time are measured as cells are treated with varying concentrations (1 μg/mL-20 mg/mL) of CFA samples. A dose-dependent impedance change is determined for each CFA sample, from which an IC50 histogram is obtained. The assay was successfully applied to examine CFA samples collected from three coal-fired power plants (CFPs) in China. The samples were separated into three size fractions: PM2.5 (10 μm). Dynamic cell-response profiles and temporal IC50 histograms of all samples show that CFA cytotoxicity depends on concentration, exposure time (0-60 h), and cell-type (SK-MES-1 > A549). The IC50 values differentiate the cytotoxicity of CFA samples based on size fraction (PM2.5 ≈ PM10-2.5 ≫ PM10) and the sampling location (CFP2 > CFP1 ≈ CFP3). Differential cytotoxicity measurements of particulates in human cell lines using cell-electronic sensing provide a useful tool for toxicity-based air quality monitoring and risk assessment. PMID:27124590

Accurate determination of rare earth elements (REEs) in ashes of thermal power plants is important in the current scenario due to its economic value, and the pollution caused if they are released in to the environment. Their toxicity to living organisms now gaining importance in international community, and some investigation shows it causes retardation in plant growth. In coal based thermal stations huge quantity of coal used annually as a fuel and lakhs of tones of waste is generated in the form of ashes. Therefore studies were carried out on three aspects - fairly rapid and accurate ICP-AES determination REEs in coal fly ash samples using addition technique, a preliminary acid leaching studies on coal received from three different fired thermal power stations using hydrochloric acid at pH 1 and 2, and quantify the REEs leached, and economic recovery of REEs using di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid solvent extraction process or precipitation hydroxides using dilute ammonia solution. The standard addition method of REEs determination using rate and reproducible values, besides the analysis is fast compared to the ion exchange separation of REEs followed by the ICP-AES determination. (author)

对Shell粉煤气化装置中煤气冷却器的积灰问题进行了探讨,并介绍了解决积灰问题的措施.通过采用配煤技术、改造煤气冷却器过热段吹灰器、新增l台能力较大的激冷气压缩机等措施后,基本上解决了制约气化装置的积灰问题,实现了高负荷下的长周期运行.%An inquiry is made into the problem of ash accumulation in the coal gas cooler after the Shell pulverized coal gasifier,and measures are described for the solution of the problem of ash accumulation.The problem of ash accumulation that constrains the gasifier is basically solved by the use of coal blending,reform of the soot blower of the superheat section of the coal gas cooler,and new addition of one large capacity quench gas compressor,resulting in long-period operation under high load.

This paper presents the levels of sulphur, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and potentially toxic trace elements in soils surrounding the Plomin coal-fired power plant (Croatia). It used domestic superhigh-organic-sulphur Raša coal from 1970 until 2000. Raša coal was characterised by exceptionally high values of S, up to 14%, making the downwind southwest (SW) area surrounding the power plant a significant hotspot. The analytical results show that the SW soil locations are severely polluted with S (up to 4%), and PAHs (up to 13,535ng/g), while moderately with Se (up to 6.8mg/kg), and Cd (up to 4.7mg/kg). The composition and distribution pattern of PAHs in the polluted soils indicate that their main source could be airborne unburnt coal particles. The atmospheric dispersion processes of SO2 and ash particles have influenced the composition and distribution patterns of sulphur and potentially toxic trace elements in studied soils, respectively. A possible adverse impact of analysed soil on the local karstic environment was evaluated by cytotoxic and genotoxic methods. The cytotoxicity effects of soil and ash water extracts on the channel catfish ovary (CCO) cell line were found to be statistically significant in the case of the most polluted soil and ash samples. However, the primary DNA-damaging potential of the most polluted soil samples on the CCO cells was found to be within acceptable boundaries. PMID:27232961

In the context of CO{sub 2}-emission-induced global warming, greenhouse gases resulting from the production of electricity in coal-fired power plants gain increasing attention. One possible way to reduce such emissions is to gasify coal instead of burning it. The corresponding process is referred to as Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle and allows for the separation of CO{sub 2} before converting a synthesis gas into electrical energy. However, further improvements in efficiency and availability of this plant technology are needed to render the alternative generation of electricity sensible from an economic point of view. One corresponding approach introduces hot gas cleaning facilities to the gasification plant which guarantee a removal of slag particles from the synthesis gas at high temperatures. The development of such filters depends on the availability of data on the material properties of the coalash slags to be withdrawn. In this respect, the surface tension is a relevant characteristic. Currently, the surface tension of real coalash slags as well as of synthetic model systems was measured successfully by means of the sessile drop and the maximum bubble pressure method. With regard to the sessile drop technique, those experiments were conducted in a gasification-like atmosphere at temperatures of up to 1500 C. Furthermore, the pressure inside the experimental vessel was raised to 10 bar in order to allow for deriving the influence of this variable on the surface tension. In contrast, maximum bubble pressure trials were realised at atmospheric pressure while the gas atmosphere assured inert conditions. For performing sessile drop measurements, a corresponding apparatus was set up and is described in detail in this thesis. Three computer algorithms were employed to calculate surface tensions out of the photos of sessile drops and their individual performance was evaluated. A very good agreement between two of the codes was found while the third one

Generation of electricity by coal-fired power plants produces large quantities of bottom ash and fly ash. New power plants commonly use fluidized bed combustion (FBC) boilers, which create ashes with high neutralization potential (NP). These ashes, due to their alkaline nature, are often used in surface mine reclamation to neutralize acidity and reduce hydraulic conductivity of disturbed overburdens. Conventional fly ashes from older power plants exhibit a range of pH and NP, with some ashes having neutral or acidic pH and low NP values, and may not be good candidates for supplying alkalinity in reclamation projects. In this study, the authors used two acidic solutions to leach a low NP fly ash (LNP ash) and two FBC ashes (FBC1 and FBC2). After passing 78 pore volumes of sulfuric acid and 129 pore volumes of acid mine drainage (AMD) through these ash materials several trace elements were found at high levels in the leachates. LNP fly ash leachates had high arsenic and selenium concentrations with sulfuric acid leaching, but showed low arsenic and selenium concentrations after leaching with AMD. Leaching with AMD caused the iron and aluminum inherent in AMD to complex these elements and make them unavailable for leaching. Lead, cadmium, and barium concentrations in fly ash leachates were not high enough to cause water pollution problems with either leaching solution. For both leaching solutions, manganese was released from LNP ash at a constant level, FBC1 ash did not release manganese, and FBC2 ash released manganese only after the NP had been exhausted by >60 pore volumes of leaching

Atmospheric deposition of pollutants is a major health and environmental concern. In a 2010 study, the CATF attributed over 13,000 deaths each year to fly ash and other fine particles emitted by U.S. coal-burning power plants. The magnetic properties of fly ash allows for mapping an area suspect of PM pollution faster and more efficiently than by conducting chemical analysis as the former alternative. The objective of this study is to detect the presence of magnetic particles related to the migration of fly ash from a nearby coal power plant over parts of Pointe Coupee Parish, LA. This is based on the idea that the fly ash that is released into the atmosphere during the coal burning process contains heavy metals and magnetic particles in the form of ferrospheres, which can be used to trace back to the source. Maps of the top and sub soil were generated to differentiate the magnetic susceptibility values of the heavy metals potentially attributed to the migration and settling of fly ash onto the surface from any pre-existing or naturally occurring heavy metals in the sub soil. A 60 km2 area in Pointe Coupee Parish was investigated in approximately 0.5 km2 subsets. The area in Pointe Coupee Parish, LA was selected because land use is predominantly rural with the Big Cajun II power plant as the main contributor for air borne contaminants. Samples of fly ash obtained directly from the source below one of the power plant's precipitators were also analyzed to verify the field and laboratory analysis. Contour maps representing the spatial distribution of fly ash over Pointe Coupee, LA, along with histograms of magnetic susceptibility values, and chemical analysis all indicate a correlation between the proximity to the power plant and the predominant wind direction. Acquisition curves of the isothermal remnant magnetization demonstrate the presence of predominantly low coercivity minerals (magnetite) with a small amount of a high-coercivity phase. The microstructure of the

Use of granular solidified coalash as a road base material has been studied to facilitate the large scale utilization of powdered material. The proposed technology of producing granular solidified coalash includes steam curing combined with different unit operations. Investigations on the technological and quality control aspects make clear the followings: (1) A proper technology for large scale processing may consists of the following steps: kneading of coalash with water around its plastic limit, low pressure molding, steam curing and crushing. (2) A road base material of good quality can be produced in large qualities from coalash of fixed CaO content and unburnt carbon content. Further processing includes mixing with the amount of water based on the size and the time change degree of the consuming power in kneader, kneading and molding. The temperature of the kneading water should be adjusted to the ambient conditions. 4 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs.

The work oriented towards assessment of environmental risk associated with the emission of fly-ash into atmosphere and its storage on solid waste depositories included: 1. Elaboration of the INAA procedure for the determination of 20-24 elements in the fly-ashes. This method was next used for the analysis of fly-ashes from three different Polish power stations working on hard coal. 2. Studies on leaching of trace elements from neutron irradiated fly-ash by water and H2SO4 solution (pH=2.5) simulating acid rain. The results were compared with analogous experiments in which elements leached from non-irradiated fly-ash were determined by AAS and spectrophotometry. 3. Preparation and certification on the basis of an international intercomparison of the new Polish CRM - fine fly-ash (CTA-FFA-1). Although the certification is still not completed it is almost certain that it will be possible to establish ''recommended values'' for at least 34 elements and ''information values'' for another 10 to 16 ones. (author). 11 refs, 5 figs, 4 tabs

This thesis describes the consequences of the disposal of the combustion residues of coal, especially the uptake of elements from such residues and their effects on various organisms. The effects on benthic organisms in fresh and in seawater are considered in the first two parts. The third part look

Modeling and experimental methods were used to investigate ash formation mechanisms of four industrially significant high-alkali biomass (sawdust/sanderdust) fuels. Alkali minerals tend to vaporize and recondense to form sub-micron aerosol, which poses health risks and causes special operational problems for industrial combustors. Sawdust/sanderdust was burned in a 15 kW natural gas-fired tunnel furnace. The resulting ash was collected by a water-cooled probe, and size sorted by cascade impaction and Electrical Aerosol Size Analysis. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy techniques were used to determine morphology and composition by size cut. Three ash modes were present: (1) A residual mode composed primarily of porous calcium structures with a scale length of 8 microns and larger. This mode was likely the result of direct oxide and carbonate formation. (2) A secondary residual mode near 2 microns composed of fluxed and fragmented calcium, but also containing significant amounts of Si, Fe, Mn and Al. This mode appeared to be composed of eutectic melts separated from the parent ash particle. (3) An aerosol mode composed of Na and K with Cl anion, or sulfate anion when Cl was not present. The aerosol mode diameter was found to be a function of initial nucleate number density and coagulation time. Long coagulation time or high initial number density resulted in an aerosol mode diameter near 0.1 micron. Modeling was composed of three elements: (1) Equilibrium modeling---These calculations validated experimental evidence for alkali vaporization and condensation, predicting all alkali to enter the vapor phase as NaCl or KCl when Cl is available, or NaOH and KOH otherwise. (2) Condensation modeling---This model was used to determine the partitioning of alkali metal between homogeneous particulate matter formation (self-nucleation) and deposition on existing residual particles. It was shown that vaporized alkali can be collected on the

The study of coal wastes in Chautauga County, New York was begun on June 1, 1975. The major effort to date has been made on the fly ash dump west of Dunkirk, N.Y. The following topics are covered: description of the site; invertebrate biology; selection of trace elements for study and methods of analysis; water analyses; analyses of invertebrates; literature search; physical chemistry of coalash and the leaching process; and study of lake sediments.

Pilot plant studies are being conducted of a fixed-bed slagging coal gasification process. Lignite from the Indianhead mine is reacted with steam and oxygen in a gasifier at hearth zone temperatures over 1650/sup 0/C. Slag samples were subjected to chemical and petrographic analysis. Layers of layered slag modules were analyzed; the inner layers contain abundant melilite while the outer core is a glass. Results show that the characteristics of the coalash slag can be affected by temperature fluctuations in the gasifier hearth, and that chemical, flow, and heat transfer behavior are all susceptible to change as a result. 8 figs., 3 tables. (DLC)

Highlights: • A mathematical model to predict gasification rate and residence time was proposed. • Gasification rate is affected mainly by micropore surface area and alkaline content. • Residence time for coal gasification can be predicted without a kinetic model. • Surface area based on carbon content is an important parameter in kinetic analysis. • The model can predict the kinetic of coal blends in any ash composition range. - Abstract: A new mathematical model is proposed for the estimation of CO2 gasification kinetics of different rank coals and ash contents. There are no previous reports on the determination of the conversion rate or even residence time of CO2 or steam gasification based on coal characterization and for a wide range of ash content. This new approach can be used to infer the residence time and other parameters required for reactor design and operation optimization of newly mined coals or coal mixtures used as feedstock. The coal micropore surface area and the alkaline content determined by the ash composition were proved to be the most significant variables influencing the gasification rate. These variables were correlated to formulate a semi-empirical expression based on the Arrhenius equation. An equation to infer residence time, independent of the kinetic model, is also presented. The new equation is important in understanding the catalytic effect of the alkaline content in the temperature range where the chemical reaction is the controlling step. It can also be used as the corresponding term of the chemical reaction in a gas–solid kinetic model when working at higher temperatures. This new approach is valid, if there is not loss of alkali and alkaline earth metals due to sublimation or melting, which results in a glassy slag structure. The proposed model has direct industrial application in simulation of gasifiers’ performance with the knowledge of only coal characterization properties

Coalash was used as starting material for zeolite synthesis by means of hydrothermal treatment. The surfactant-modified zeolite (SMZ) was prepared by adsorbing the cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMA-Br) on the external surface of the zeolite from coalash. The zeolite structure stability was monitored during the characterization of the materials by FTIR, XDR and SEM. The structural parameters of surfactant-modified zeolite are very close to that of corresponding non-modified zeolite which indicates that the crystalline nature of the zeolite remained intact after required chemical treatment with HDTMA-Br molecules and heating treatment for drying. The most intense peaks in the FTIR spectrum of HDTMA-Br were observed in SMZ spectrum confirming adsorption of surfactant on zeolites. (author)

The paper assesses the effect of two arsenic-containing particles, coal fly ash (FA) and copper smelter dust (CU), on lung integrity and on the ex vivo release of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) by alveolar phagocytes. The results show that coal fly ash and copper smelter dust bear distinct inflammatory properties. At the end of the observation period (d 120), the high CU dose produced a fibrotic reaction whereas the high dose of FA particles generated a delayed and persistent lung inflammatory reaction associated with lymphoid noduli. Marked differences in TNF-alpha production were observed within the CU and FA groups. CU particles, conceivably through their metal content, decreased TNF-alpha production by alveolar phagocytes. Due to their low arsenic content, considerably higher FA particle doses needed to be administered to produce an inhibition of TNF-alpha production.

Sludge from treatment water Brazilian plant station are, frequently, disposed and launched directly in the water bodies, causing a negative impact in the environment. Also, coalashes is produced by burning of coal in coal-fired power stations and is the industrial solid waste most generated in southern Brazil: approximately 4 million tons/y. The efficient disposal of coalashes is an issue due to its massive volume and harmful risks to the environment. The aim of this work was study the feasibility of incorporating these two industrial wastes in a mass used in the manufacture of ecological bricks. Samples of fly ashes from a cyclone filter from a coal-fired power plant located at Figueira County in Parana State, Brazil and waterworks sludge of Terra Preta County in Sao Paulo State, Brazil, were used in the study. Fly ash-sludge and fly ash-sludge-soil-cement bricks were molded and tested, according to the Brazilians Standards. The materials were characterized by physical-chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, morphological analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and granulometric analysis. The results indicate that the waterworks sludge and coalashes have potential to be used on manufacturing soil-cement pressed bricks according to the of Brazilians Standards NBR 10836/94. (author)

Six composite samples of coalash from power plants 'Nikola Tesla' A and B, located in the vicinity of Obrenovac, near Belgrade (Yugoslavia), were subjected to extraction with 1 M acetate solution, pH 5.5, in order to imitate possible leaching of the ash by natural acidic rain. Seven trace and five major elements have been examined, and the obtained amounts were in the range from 0.003 {+-} 0.001 ppm (Cd), to 117 {+-} 27 ppm (Ca), dry ash basis. Though some of the concentrations were higher than allowed by domestic and international regulations it can be concluded that neither of the examined elements represents a serious threat for the environment (at least for the conditions applied in this experiment). Also, both magnesium and iron are carriers of copper, chromium and arsenic, while cadmium is associated with magnesium and manganese. Calcium and manganese are beside magnesium and iron, scavengers of arsenic. (authors)

A dike failure at the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil Plant in East Tennessee, United States, in December 2008, released approximately 4.1 million m(3) of coalash into the Emory River. From 2009 through 2012, samples of mayfly nymphs (Hexagenia bilineata) were collected each spring from sites in the Emory, Clinch, and Tennessee Rivers upstream and downstream of the spill. Samples were analyzed for 17 metals. Concentrations of metals were generally highest the first 2 miles downstream of the spill, and then decreased with increasing distance from the spill. Arsenic, B, Ba, Be, Mo, Sb, Se, Sr, and V appeared to have strong ash signatures, whereas Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb appeared to be associated with ash and other sources. However, the concentrations for most of these contaminants were modest and are unlikely to cause widespread negative ecological effects. Trends in Hg, Cd, and Zn suggested little (Hg) or no (Cd, Zn) association with ash. Temporal trends suggested that concentrations of ash-related contaminants began to subside after 2010, but because of the limited time period of that analysis (4 yr), further monitoring is needed to verify this trend. The present study provides important information on the magnitude of contaminant exposure to aquatic receptors from a major coalash spill, as well as spatial and temporal trends for transport of the associated contaminants in a large open watershed. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1159-1171. Published 2015 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America. PMID:26387560

The Chestnut Ridge Filled CoalAsh Pond (FCAP) Project has been established to satisfy Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) requirements for the Chestnut Ridge Operable Unit 2. FCAP is on Chestnut Ridge, approximately 0.5 miles south of the Y-12 Plant. A 62-foot high earthen dam across Upper McCoy Branch was constructed in 1955 to create a pond to serve as a settling basin for fly and bottom ashes generated by burning coal at the Y-12 Steam Plant. Ash from the steam was mixed with water to form a slurry and then pumped to the crest of Chestnut Ridge and released through a large pipe to flow across the Sluice Channel area and into the pond. The ash slurry eventually overtopped the dam and flowed along Upper McCoy Branch to Rogers Quarry. The purpose of this document is to provide a site-specific Best Management Practices (BMP) Plan for construction associated with environmental restoration activities at the FCAP Site

Full Text Available Biogas, produced in an aerobic digestion process, is a mixture of gases, and that is why its inexpensive and effective valorisation is essential. Research on this process is necessary in order to use biogas as a renewable energy source. The aim of this thesis is to present methods of biogas purification and enrichment in the fly ash - water mixture, that is generated on the base of fly ash produced during burning coal in power industry. Experience presented that the fly ash absorbs CO2 and H2S, even in conventional conditions. The absorption efficiency depends not only on the chemical composition of the ash but also on its physical properties. There was also a strong neutralization of alkaline waste combustion.

Full Text Available Zeolite A was synthesized using the coalash from Siderópolis/RS - Brazil. The synthesis was based on a standard IZA synthesis using coalash as the Si and Al source. XRF analysis showed that the coalash has a Si/Al ratio of 1.52, which is close to the Si/Al ratio required to produce zeolite A (1.0. The synthesized materials were analyzed by XRD, SEM and N2 adsorption. More crystalline materials were obtained during synthesis when an additional treatment was applied at a temperature of 353 K at the dissolution of NaOH step. The product formed after 4 hours was the most crystalline, but even the product formed after 1 hour proved to be better than that formed using the standard 4 hours IZA synthesis. The zeolites synthesized by this method had an adsorption capacity of 120 mg.g-1 for Ca2+, half the capacity of commercial zeolite A (300 mg.g-1. It was not possible to obtain blue or green pigments using the synthesized zeolite A.

Full Text Available Zeolite A was synthesized using the coalash from Siderópolis/RS - Brazil. The synthesis was based on a standard IZA synthesis using coalash as the Si and Al source. XRF analysis showed that the coalash has a Si/Al ratio of 1.52, which is close to the Si/Al ratio required to produce zeolite A (1.0. The synthesized materials were analyzed by XRD, SEM and N2 adsorption. More crystalline materials were obtained during synthesis when an additional treatment was applied at a temperature of 353 K at the dissolution of NaOH step. The product formed after 4 hours was the most crystalline, but even the product formed after 1 hour proved to be better than that formed using the standard 4 hours IZA synthesis. The zeolites synthesized by this method had an adsorption capacity of 120 mg.g-1 for Ca2+, half the capacity of commercial zeolite A (300 mg.g-1. It was not possible to obtain blue or green pigments using the synthesized zeolite A.

The objective of the present work is to introduce an experimental program that will eventually lead to time-resolved iron ash composition over the technological operating domain. The preceding literature survey suggests two important stipulations on any such experimental program. The first stipulation is that good control must be established over the operating conditions, to accurately quantify their effects. The other is that data must be obtained rapidly, to thoroughly cover the important operating domain. This work presents a series of studies that has characterized the desulfurization of pyrite during the early stages of combustion. An experimental system was established and used to monitor the effects of oxygen, temperature, and residence time on the evolution of condensed phase products of the combustion of pure pyrite. (VC)

The objective of the present work is to introduce an experimental program that will eventually lead to time-resolved iron ash composition over the technological operating domain. The preceding literature survey suggests two important stipulations on any such experimental program. The first stipulation is that good control must be established over the operating conditions, to accurately quantify their effects. The other is that data must be obtained rapidly, to thoroughly cover the important operating domain. This work presents a series of studies that has characterized the desulfurization of pyrite during the early stages of combustion. An experimental system was established and used to monitor the effects of oxygen, temperature, and residence time on the evolution of condensed phase products of the combustion of pure pyrite. (VC)

Thermal power stations apart from being source of energy supply are causing soil pollution leading to its degradation in fertility and contamination. Fine particle and trace element emissions from energy production in coal-fired thermal power plants are associated with significant adverse effects on human, animal, and soil health. Contamination of soil with cadmium, nickel, copper, lead, arsenic, chromium, and zinc can be a primary route of human exposure to these potentially toxic elements. The environmental evaluation of surrounding soil of thermal power plants in Odisha may serve a model study to get the insight into hazards they are causing. The study investigates the impact of fly ash-fugitive dust (FAFD) deposition from coal-fired thermal power plant emissions on soil properties including trace element concentration, pH, and soil enzymatic activities. Higher FAFD deposition was found in the close proximity of power plants, which led to high pH and greater accumulation of heavy metals. Among the three power plants, in the vicinity of NALCO, higher concentrations of soil organic carbon and nitrogen was observed whereas, higher phosphorus content was recorded in the proximity of NTPC. Multivariate statistical analysis of different variables and their association indicated that FAFD deposition and soil properties were influenced by the source of emissions and distance from source of emission. Pollution in soil profiles and high risk areas were detected and visualized using surface maps based on Kriging interpolation. The concentrations of chromium and arsenic were higher in the soil where FAFD deposition was more. Observance of relatively high concentration of heavy metals like cadmium, lead, nickel, and arsenic and a low concentration of enzymatic activity in proximity to the emission source indicated a possible link with anthropogenic emissions. PMID:26450689

An INAA procedure for the determination of twelve elements in fly ash and in similar geological materials was developed using mixed elemental standards and iron wire as neutron flux monitors. The reliability of the method was checked using the IAEA's Soil-5 and Lake Sediment SL-1 CRMs. The results obtained for the fly ash from burning Polish hard coal, as well as for two other geological materials, are presented. A new candidate reference material: fine fly ash (CTA-FFA-1) was collected, characterized with respect to its major component contents, homogenized, and distributed into PE containers. In order to certify the material with respect to its trace element contents, an international intercomparison run was organized. Preliminary experiments on leaching of trace elements from neutron-irradiated fly ash were performed. Some distinct differences in the leaching characteristics of individual elements were noted. In future the work will concentrate on extending the multielement capability of the INAA method, as well as on leaching of trace elements by solutions simulating acid rain. The work on certification of the new CRM, fine fly ash, CTA-FFA-1, will be continued. 28 refs, 9 figs, 4 tabs

Strontium aluminosilicate, SrAl{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 8} (SAS), was synthesized by a solid state reaction using coal fly ash (CFA) as main raw material. A precursor mixture of SrCO{sub 3}, CFA and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} was mechanically-activated for times of up to 12 h using an attrition mill, and subsequently sintered at temperatures of 900-1300 degree centigrade. The CFA and the mechanical activation were employed with the aim to promote the transformation from the hexagonal (Sr-Hexacelsian) into the monoclinic (Sr-Celsian) polymorphic form of SAS, since the latter phase is associated with better physical and mechanical properties but the former tends to be the first one to appear. The mean particle size, the crystallite size and the temperature at the end of the curve of weight loss (Tf) decreased, while the specific surface area and the degree of amorphization increased, with increasing milling time. Samples milled for at least 4 h and then sintered at 1100 degree centigrade achieved full transformation into Sr-Celsian. The same result was obtained for sintering temperatures higher than 1100 degree centigrade, independently of milling time. An increment in both the milling time and the sintering temperature allowed us to improve the densification and the mechanical properties of the synthesized materials. (Author)

Strontium aluminosilicate, SrAl{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 8} (SAS), was synthesized by a solid state reaction using coal fly ash (CFA) as main raw material. A precursor mixture of SrCO{sub 3}, CFA and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} was mechanically-activated for times of up to 12 h using an attrition mill, and subsequently sintered at temperatures of 900-1300 degree centigrade. The CFA and the mechanical activation were employed with the aim to promote the transformation from the hexagonal (Sr-Hexacelsian) into the monoclinic (Sr-Celsian) polymorphic form of SAS, since the latter phase is associated with better physical and mechanical properties but the former tends to be the first one to appear. The mean particle size, the crystallite size and the temperature at the end of the curve of weight loss (Tf) decreased, while the specific surface area and the degree of amorphization increased, with increasing milling time. Samples milled for at least 4 h and then sintered at 1100 degree centigrade achieved full transformation into Sr-Celsian. The same result was obtained for sintering temperatures higher than 1100 degree centigrade, independently of milling time. An increment in both the milling time and the sintering temperature allowed us to improve the densification and the mechanical properties of the synthesized materials. (Author) 24 refs.

Strontium aluminosilicate, SrAl2Si2O8 (SAS), was synthesized by a solid state reaction using coal fly ash (CFA) as main raw material. A precursor mixture of SrCO3, CFA and Al2O3 was mechanically-activated for times of up to 12 h using an attrition mill, and subsequently sintered at temperatures of 900-1300 degree centigrade. The CFA and the mechanical activation were employed with the aim to promote the transformation from the hexagonal (Sr-Hexacelsian) into the monoclinic (Sr-Celsian) polymorphic form of SAS, since the latter phase is associated with better physical and mechanical properties but the former tends to be the first one to appear. The mean particle size, the crystallite size and the temperature at the end of the curve of weight loss (Tf) decreased, while the specific surface area and the degree of amorphization increased, with increasing milling time. Samples milled for at least 4 h and then sintered at 1100 degree centigrade achieved full transformation into Sr-Celsian. The same result was obtained for sintering temperatures higher than 1100 degree centigrade, independently of milling time. An increment in both the milling time and the sintering temperature allowed us to improve the densification and the mechanical properties of the synthesized materials. (Author)

Monoclinic (Celsian) and hexagonal (Hexacelsian) Ba1-xSrxAl{sub 2}Si2O8 solid solutions, where x=0, 0.25, 0.375, 0.5, 0.75 or 1, were synthesized by using Coal Fly Ash (CFA) as main raw material, employing a simple one-step solid-state reaction process involving thermal treatment for 5 h at 850-1300{sup o}C. Fully monoclinic Celsian was obtained at 1200{sup o} C/5 h, for SrO contents of 0.25 {<=} x {<=} 0.75. However, an optimum SrO level of 0.25 {<=} x {<=} 0.375 was recommended for the stabilization of Celsian. These synthesis conditions represent a significant improvement over the higher temperatures, longer times and/or multi-step processes needed to obtain fully monoclinic Celsian, when other raw materials are used for this purpose, according to previous literature. These results were attributed to the role of the chemical and phase constitution of CFA as well as to a likely mineralizing effect of CaO and TiO{sub 2} present in it, which enhanced the Hexacelsian to Celsian conversion.

Studies on leaching behavior of metals associated with coal fly ash (FA) are of great concern because of possible contamination of the aquatic environment. In the present study, leaching behavior of metals (As, Se, Cr, Pb, V, Zn, etc.) in two different FA samples (FA1 and FA2) was investigated at various pH (2-12), temperatures of leachate solution and using TCLP. At pH 2, the highest leaching was observed for Fe (21.6 and 32.8 µg/g), whereas at pH 12, Arsenic was found to have the highest leaching (1.5 and 2.4 µg/g) in FA1 and FA2. Leachate solution temperature showed a positive effect on the metal's leachability. In TCLP, most of the metal's leachability was observed to be higher than that of batch leaching tests. The present study suggests that, leaching of As and Se from FA samples can moderately affect ground/surface water quality at the study locations. PMID:27372455

Coal-fired plants in Coahuila (Mexico) produce highly reactive fly ash (MFA), which is used in a one-step process as a raw material in producing zeolite. We explored two routes in the synthesis of zeolite: (a) direct MFA zeolitization, which resulted in the formation of W zeolite with KOH and analcime with NaOH and (b) a MFA fusion route, which resulted in the formation of zeolite W or chabazite with KOH and zeolite X or P with NaOH. No residual crystalline phases were present. When LiOH was employed, ABW zeolite with quartz and mullite were obtained. For both zeolitization routes, the nature of the alkali (KOH, NaOH, LiOH), the alkali/MFA ratio (0.23-1.46), and the crystallization temperature and time (90-175 oC; 8-24 h) were evaluated. Additionally, the effect of temperature and time on MFA fusion was studied. W zeolite was obtained by both zeolitization methods. The direct route is preferred because it is a straightforward method using soft reaction conditions that results in a high yield of low cost zeolites with large crystal agglomerates. It was demonstrated that aluminum modified W zeolite has the ability to remove 99% of the arsenic (V) from an aqueous solution of Na2HAsO4.7H2O originally containing 740 ppb.

Trace V(V) catalyzes mightily the decolorization reaction of arsenazo Ⅲ (AsA Ⅲ) by oxidizing with H2O2 in a pH 4.0 HAc-NaAc buffer solution, and the addition of Triton X-100 can further increase the sensitivity of the reaction and its catalytic extent is linear with the content of V(V). A catalytic spectrophotometric procedure for determining trace V(V)was developed. The results show that the maximun absorption of the color solution is at 560 nm and the detection limit of the method for V(V) is 0.014 mg@L-1 Beer's law is obeyed for V(V) in the range of 0.00-0.20 mg.L-1. The recoveries are 99.0%-104.6%, and the relative standard deviations (RSD) are 2.7%-3.7%. Combined with ion-exchange resin, the method has been applied to the determination of trace vanadium in fly ash and coal gangue with satisfactory results.

Coal fly ash (CFA) is a waste product produced from the electrical power plant and hazardous towards the environment. However, the high composition of silica and alumina in the CFA makes it useful as raw materials in the zeolite synthesis. However, the presence of silica in the form of quartz in the CFA does not facilitate the transformation of CFA to zeolite at 100 degree Celsius and autogeneous pressure. In this study, CFA was converted to zeolites in various NaOH concentrations by microwave heating at various heating time. All synthesized product were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), and gravimetric analysis. XRD has shown that quite pure sodalite in nano size has been formed as early as 15 minutes and increase with time. Prolong heating up to 45 minutes has reduced the content of quartz to ca 20 %. Gravimetric analysis performed on the liquor of the reaction showed that the dissolved silica decrease with increase of heating time indicating that most of the dissolved quartz is used up to form sodalite framework. Hence, quartz of CFA did help in enhancing the crystallinity of the formed sodalite after prolong heating. (author)

Coal-fired plants in Coahuila (Mexico) produce highly reactive fly ash (MFA), which is used in a one-step process as a raw material in producing zeolite. We explored two routes in the synthesis of zeolite: (a) direct MFA zeolitization, which resulted in the formation of W zeolite with KOH and analcime with NaOH and (b) a MFA fusion route, which resulted in the formation of zeolite W or chabazite with KOH and zeolite X or P with NaOH. No residual crystalline phases were present. When LiOH was employed, ABW zeolite with quartz and mullite were obtained. For both zeolitization routes, the nature of the alkali (KOH, NaOH, LiOH), the alkali/MFA ratio (0.23-1.46), and the crystallization temperature and time (90-175 {sup o}C; 8-24 h) were evaluated. Additionally, the effect of temperature and time on MFA fusion was studied. W zeolite was obtained by both zeolitization methods. The direct route is preferred because it is a straightforward method using soft reaction conditions that results in a high yield of low cost zeolites with large crystal agglomerates. It was demonstrated that aluminum modified W zeolite has the ability to remove 99% of the arsenic (V) from an aqueous solution of Na{sub 2}HAsO{sub 4}.7H{sub 2}O originally containing 740 ppb.

Full Text Available Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the kinetic parameters of the oxy-fuel combustion of char from a Brazilian bituminous coal with a high ash content. The char, with a particle diameter of 715 μm, was prepared in a N2 atmosphere at 1173 K. The oxy-fuel combustion assays were performed using a thermobalance at different temperatures and O2/CO2 gas mixtures of different concentrations. According to the unreacted core model, the process is determined by chemical reaction at low temperatures, with an activation energy of 56.7 kJ.kmol-1, a reaction order of 0.5 at 973 K and a reaction order of 0.7 overall. The use of the continuous reaction model did not provide a good fit for the experimental data because the consumption of the particles during the reaction was not constant, as predicted by the model. According to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model, the activation energy for the first step was 37.3 kJ.kmol-1.

The effect of coal fly ash (CFA) on pulmonary and systemic inflammation and injury was measured in male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to filtered air or CFA for 4 h/day for 3 days. The average concentration of CFA particulate matter less than 2.5 {mu}m (PM2.5) was 1400 {mu} g/m{sup 3}, of which 600 {mu} g/m{sup 3} was PM1. Animals were examined 18 and 36 h postexposure. Chemical analysis of CFA detected silicon, calcium, aluminum, and iron as major components. Total number of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) following exposure to CFA was significantly increased along with significantly elevated blood neutrophils. Exposure to CFA caused slight increases in macrophage inflammatory protein-2, and marked increases in transferrin in BALF. Interleukin-1 beta and total antioxidant potential in lung tissues were also increased in rats exposed to CFA. Histological examination of lung tissue demonstrated focal alveolar septal thickening and increased cellularity in select alveoli immediately beyond terminal bronchioles. These responses are consistent with the ability of CFA to induce mild neutrophilic inflammation in the lung and blood following short-term exposure at levels that could be occupationally relevant. However, when comparing the effects of CFA with those of concentrated ambient particles, CFA does not appear to have greater potency to cause pulmonary alterations.

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a widespread environmental problem associated with both working and abandoned mining operations, resulting from the microbial oxidation of pyrite in presence of water and air, affording an acidic solution that contains toxic metal ions. The generation of AMD and release of dissolved heavy metals is an important concern facing the mining industry. The present study aimed at evaluating the use of low-cost sorbents like coal fly ash, natural clinker and synthetic zeolites to clean-up AMD generated at the Parys Mountain copper-lead-zinc deposit, Anglesey (North Wales), and to remove heavy metals and ammonium from AMD. pH played a very important role in the sorption/removal of the contaminants and a higher adsorbent ratio in the treatment of AMD promoted the increase of the pH, particularly using natural clinker-based faujasite (7.70-9.43) and the reduction of metal concentration. Na-phillipsite showed a lower efficiency as compared to that of faujasite. Selectivity of faujasite for metal removal was, in decreasing order, Fe>As>Pb>Zn>Cu>Ni>Cr. Based on these results, the use of these materials has the potential to provide improved methods for the treatment of AMD. PMID:18221835

The purpose of this investigation was (i) to test the effectiveness of a barrier engineered to remove Cr(VI) from leachates of higher pH and salinity typical of coal burning ashes and (ii) to determine which geochemical processes control Cr immobilization. Laboratory column and batch desorption...... experiments show that a barrier composed of sand, Fe(0), and bentonite irreversibly immobilizes Cr. Concentrations fall from 25 mg Cr L-1 in the leachate to below detection limits (0.0025 mg Cr L-1) and solution pH increases by about two units. Solid-phase analytical techniques such as SEM, EDS, XPS, and...... TOFSIMS were used to characterize the barrier material prior to and after exposure to the Cr leachate. In the barrier material, Cr(III) was found associated with Fe(III)-oxides, as separate Cr oxides and as a Ca,Cr phase, probably Cachromite, CaCr2O4. The attenuating barrier can be an alternative to...

In this study, the specific activities of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K radionuclide in the samples of cement and concrete added fly ash (FA) used building sector were measured by using gamma spectrometer with HPGe detector. In order to assess the usability of the samples of the cement and concrete added FA in building sector and the FA samples obtained as a by-product from coal-burning thermic power plants in Turkey in geotechnical applications from radiological point of view, the radium equivalent activity (Raeq), the activity concentration index (Iγ), the alpha index (Iα), the absorbed gamma dose rates (DIO, DDO) and the corresponding effective dose rates (HIO, HDO) caused from the external exposure in indoor and outdoor were calculated and compared with the limit value or the criterion. The results showed that the mean values of the Raeq, Iγ (except the mean value calculated for the concrete added with 30% Kangal FA), Iα (except the mean values calculated for the cement added with 30-35%) and the indoor effective dose rate (except the mean values calculated for the cement added with 30-35% and the concrete added with 30% Kangal FA) were lower than or close to the limit value or the criterion recommended for the safe use of construction materials. (Includes 12 figures and 12 tables)

The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) has been conducting research on gasification for six decades. One of the objectives of this gasification research has been to maximize carbon conversion and the water–gas shift process for optimal hydrogen production and syngas quality. This research focus and experience were a perfect fit for the National Center for Hydrogen Technology ® (NCHT®) Program at the EERC for improving all aspects of coal gasification, which ultimately aids in the production and purification of hydrogen. A consortia project was developed under the NCHT Program to develop an improved predictive model for ash formation and deposition under the project entitled “CoalAsh Behavior in Reducing Environments (CABRE) III: Development of the CABRE III Model.” The computer-based program is now applicable to the modeling of coal and ash behavior in both entrained-flow and fluidized-bed gasification systems to aid in overall gasification efficiency. This model represents a significant improvement over the CABRE II model and runs on a Microsoft Windows PC platform. The major achievements of the CABRE III model are partitioning of inorganic transformations between various phases for specific gas cleanup equipment; slag property predictions, including standard temperature–viscosity curves and slag flow and thickness; deposition rates in gasification cleanup equipment; provision for composition analysis for all input and output streams across all process equipment, including major elements and trace elements of interest; composition analysis of deposit streams for various deposit zones, including direct condensation on equipment surfaces (Zone A), homogeneous particulate deposition (Zone B), and entrained fly ash deposition (Zone C); and physical removal of ash in cyclones based on D50 cut points. Another new feature of the CABRE III model is a user-friendly interface and detailed reports that are easily exportable into Word documents, Excel

This study assessed historical changes in metal concentrations in sediments of southern Lake Macquarie resulting from the activities of coal-fired power stations, using a multi-proxy approach which combines {sup 210}Pb, {sup 137}Cs and metal concentrations in sediment cores. Metal concentrations in the lake were on average, Zn: 67 mg/kg, Cu: 15 mg/kg, As: 8 mg/kg, Se: 2 mg/kg, Cd: 1.5 mg/kg, Pb: 8 mg/kg with a maximum of Zn: 280 mg/kg, Cu: 80 mg/kg, As: 21 mg/kg, Se: 5 mg/kg, Cd: 4 mg/kg, Pb: 48 mg/kg. The ratios of measured concentrations in sediment cores to their sediment guidelines were Cd 1.8, As 1.0, Cu 0.5, Pb 0.2 and Zn 0.2, with the highest concern being for cadmium. Of special interest was assessment of the effects of changes in ash handling procedures by the Vales Point power station on the metal concentrations in the sediments. Comparing sediment layers before and after ash handling procedures were implemented, zinc concentrations have decreased 10%, arsenic 37%, selenium 20%, cadmium 38% and lead 14%. An analysis of contaminant depth profiles showed that, after implementation of new ash handling procedures in 1995, selenium and cadmium, the main contaminants in Australian black coal had decreased significantly in this estuary. - Highlights: • The main sources of metals to Southern Lake Macquarie are coal-fired power stations. • The metal of highest concern in this estuary is cadmium. • Arsenic was mobile in sediments. • Selenium and cadmium decreased in sediments following new ash handling procedures.

This study assessed historical changes in metal concentrations in sediments of southern Lake Macquarie resulting from the activities of coal-fired power stations, using a multi-proxy approach which combines 210Pb, 137Cs and metal concentrations in sediment cores. Metal concentrations in the lake were on average, Zn: 67 mg/kg, Cu: 15 mg/kg, As: 8 mg/kg, Se: 2 mg/kg, Cd: 1.5 mg/kg, Pb: 8 mg/kg with a maximum of Zn: 280 mg/kg, Cu: 80 mg/kg, As: 21 mg/kg, Se: 5 mg/kg, Cd: 4 mg/kg, Pb: 48 mg/kg. The ratios of measured concentrations in sediment cores to their sediment guidelines were Cd 1.8, As 1.0, Cu 0.5, Pb 0.2 and Zn 0.2, with the highest concern being for cadmium. Of special interest was assessment of the effects of changes in ash handling procedures by the Vales Point power station on the metal concentrations in the sediments. Comparing sediment layers before and after ash handling procedures were implemented, zinc concentrations have decreased 10%, arsenic 37%, selenium 20%, cadmium 38% and lead 14%. An analysis of contaminant depth profiles showed that, after implementation of new ash handling procedures in 1995, selenium and cadmium, the main contaminants in Australian black coal had decreased significantly in this estuary. - Highlights: • The main sources of metals to Southern Lake Macquarie are coal-fired power stations. • The metal of highest concern in this estuary is cadmium. • Arsenic was mobile in sediments. • Selenium and cadmium decreased in sediments following new ash handling procedures

The use of hard coal fly ash (PFA) as concrete addition in pretensioned prestressed concrete has so far been excluded. In support of this restriction, the argument was put forward that knowledge about stress corrosion cracking promoting matter in concrete did not exist. The aim of the research project therefore was to investigate into the influence of PFA on the stress cracking corrosion of prestressed steel. The results were to constitute the basis for a regulation on the use of PFA as concrete addition for the production of pretensioned prestressed concrete. The test programme was based on a test plan that had been elaborated and approved by the experts` committee `Concrete Technology` of Deutsche Institut fuer Bautechnik (DIBt) [German Institute for Building Technology]. In a first test series, elution tests have been made on all fly ashes permitted as addition to concrete according to DIN 1045 by the building authority. Neither at aqueous nor alkaline elution of the samples tested constitutents were ascertained that could be classified as corrosion promoting. (orig./SR) [Deutsch] Die Verwendung von Steinkohlenflugasche (SFA) als Betonzusatzstoff ist in Spannbeton mit sofortigem Verbund bisher ausgeschlossen. Diese Einschraenkung wurde mit fehlenden Kenntnissen ueber den Eintrag von spannungsrisskorrosionsfoerdernden Stoffen in den Beton begruendet. Ziel des Forschungsprojektes war es daher, den Einfluss von SFA auf die Spannungsrisskorrosion von Spannstaehlen zu klaeren. Die Ergebnisse sollten die Grundlage zur Formulierung einer bauaufsichtlichen Regelung fuer die Verwendung von SFA als Betonzusatzstoff bei der Herstellung von Spannbeton mit sofortigem Verbund bilden. Grundlage fuer das durchgefuehrte Versuchsprogramm war ein Pruefplan, der vom Sachverstaendigenausschuss `Betontechnologie` des Deutschen Instituts fuer Bautechnik (DIBt) erarbeitet und genehmigt worden war. In einem ersten Versuchsabschnitt wurden Elutionsversuche an allen bauaufsichtlich

This study has been undertaken to estimate the occupational and public radiation doses due to natural radioactivity at Morupule, a Coal-Fired Power Station and its environs. The radiation doses were reconstructed to include 60 year period from 1985 to 2045. Dire